North Korea tried to pass off old rocket launch as ‘huge’ new ICBM, claims South Korea
The IndependentFor free real time breaking news alerts sent straight to your inbox sign up to our breaking news emails Sign up to our free breaking news emails Sign up to our free breaking news emails SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. But South Korea’s defence ministry has now said that it believes the North actually fired the previously-launched Hwasong-15 missile that day and only passed it off as a huge, new ICBM. open image in gallery Photo distributed by the North Korean government shows Kim Jong-un walking around what it says is a Hwasong-17 ICBM on 24 March The ministry said that North Korea did conduct a test of Hwasong-17, but it failed as the missile exploded mid-air. The South Korean report alleged that after the failed test, the North decided to launch a more reliable ICBM, the Hwasong-15 – also an ICBM that could reach the US, but with a lower range – to prevent possible public anxiety and bolster unity at home. open image in gallery Photo distributed by the North Korean government shows Kim Jong-un watching what it says is a test-fire of a Hwasong-17 ICBM on 24 March Ha Tae-keung, a member of the South Korean parliament’s defence committee, said the suspected Hwasong-17 explosion occurred at an altitude of only several kilometres.