The SBS report confirmed that the US government has evaluated that North Korea's new short-range ballistic missile can be equipped with a nuclear warhead.



Opinions have been divided over whether nuclear warheads can be loaded on short-range missiles that cover the entire Korean peninsula, but the United States is the first to officially admit North Korea's short-range ballistic missiles are equipped with nuclear weapons.



The North Korean Threat Assessment Report prepared by the US Congressional Research Service based on reports from the US Defense Intelligence Agency and others stated that "the KN-23, called the North Korean version of Iskander, can strike anywhere on the Korean Peninsula carrying nuclear warheads as well as conventional warheads."



This is the first official confirmation that the US government can mount a nuclear warhead on North Korea's new short-range ballistic missile.



North Korea first unveiled the KN-23, which has a maximum range of 600 km during the military parade in February 2018, and has been test-launched about 10 times since May 2019.



The North Korean threat assessment report also cited external experts and pointed out the possibility of mounting a nuclear warhead on the KN-24, which is called the North Korean version of Atachams.



South Korean and U.S. military authorities believe that the KN-23 and 24 have already been deployed.



In addition, in the case of the KN-25, which is called a super-large multiple launcher, it can still carry only conventional warheads, but there are concerns that the launch interval is as short as 20 seconds, and that it is powerful.



Among the medium-range missiles, the Pukguksong-2, or KN-15, which has a range of range from Japan, can carry nuclear and conventional warheads like the KN-23, so it was pointed out as the most threatening to neighboring countries.



The Congressional Research Service report also mentioned the purpose of North Korea's recent series of test launches and countermeasures against North Korean missiles, and SBS8 News will tell you more.



(Photo = Yonhap News)