North Korea fires ICBM with longest flight time ever

North Korea has launched a suspected intercontinental ballistic missile into waters off its east coast after the United States warned that sending troops to Russia could expand the war in Ukraine.

The missile was fired at a high angle from an area near Pyongyang early Thursday, South Korea’s Joint Chiefs of Staff said in a text message to reporters. The Japan Coast Guard said the missile probably crashed. It was previously said that the projectile was expected to land outside Japan’s exclusive economic zone, about 300 kilometers (186 miles) west of Okushiri on the southwestern coast of Hokkaido.

The firing marks the first ICBM launch this year since North Korea last tested the missile technology in December and coincides with a defiant show of force after Seoul and Washington criticized Pyongyang for deploying troops to Russia. Japanese Defense Minister General Nakatani told reporters that the projectile flew for about 86 minutes, the longest flight ever recorded for a missile fired by Pyongyang.

North Korea has a habit of taking provocative actions, including testing ballistic missiles and nuclear devices to coincide with US elections, and the latest launch appears to be aimed at drawing attention to its military might ahead of the November 5 US election.

The ICBM-class missile is the most powerful missile in its arsenal and is designed to deliver nuclear warheads to the US mainland. Leader Kim Jong Un aims to shrink warheads for attacks in the region and increase the power of warheads for ICBMs.

Still, it’s unclear whether the country’s ICBMs can defeat anti-missile systems deployed in the United States. It is also unknown whether Pyongyang’s weapons are improved enough to hit their intended targets or whether the warheads can survive re-entry into the atmosphere.

The South Korean military has increased its defensive posture and shared relevant information with its U.S. and Japanese counterparts, JCS said.

The deployment of nearly 10,000 North Korean troops to Russia risks “prolonging or expanding the conflict,” US Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin said on Wednesday after meeting with his South Korean counterpart Kim Yong-hyun.

South Korea’s Kim said there was a “high chance” that in return for sending troops, North Korea would ask Russia for the transfer of cutting-edge technology, including technologies related to tactical nuclear weapons, intercontinental ballistic missiles, reconnaissance satellites and ballistic missile submarines.

The United States and its allies are monitoring the movements of North Korean troops sent to Russia to gauge their possible involvement in the war in Ukraine. Some troops were sent to Russia’s Kursk region, where Ukrainian forces have made gains this year.

Deepening relations between North Korea and Russia have alarmed the United States and its allies. The potential response to the situation could divide them, as they will have to decide whether to match North Korea’s moves with their own tensions.