North Korea Tests Super-Size Warhead Missile, Could Attract Kremlin’s Interest

North Korea tested new tactical ballistic missiles with super-large warheads and modified cruise missiles on Wednesday, Sept. 18, according to the KCNA state news agency.

The test occurred while North Korean leader Kim Jong Un was said to be pushing for the development of stronger conventional and nuclear capabilities. Kim, who oversaw the tests, said they were of necessity due to the severe external threats to national security. This follows reports from the South Korean military about North Korea’s second missile test in a week.

Wednesday’s tests featured the Hwasongpho-11-Da-4.5 tactical ballistic missiles, which KCNA indicated are part of ongoing developments of short-range ballistic missiles. It was said to be equipped with a 4.5-ton super-large conventional warhead.

State media had previously reported partial success of similar missiles in July, and new photographs showed a projectile striking a target in a hilly area. On Thursday, South Korea’s military confirmed that two ballistic missiles had landed in a mountainous region in the northeast of the country.

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The Kremlin defended the policy changes as a necessary response to perceived “Western threats,” where the use of Western non-nuclear missiles can potentially lead to Moscow’s nuclear response.

Shin Seung-ki, head of military research at North Korea’s Institute for Defense Analyses, said that such a test, aimed at hitting inland targets, is likely unprecedented. North Korea usually conducts tests against targets at sea or on uninhabited islands.

Shin said that the Hwasongpho-11-Da-4.5 missile, which is still under development, might soon attract interest from Russia if it proves reliable through further testing. He added that North Korea is likely eager to expedite this process.

Additionally, North Korea tested an upgraded strategic cruise missile, according to KCNA.

Reports suggest that some missiles used by Russia in the ongoing Ukraine war are North Korean-made, although both Moscow and Pyongyang deny any illicit arms trade or shipments.

In early January, U.S. National Security Council spokesman John Kirby reported that Russia had launched North Korean ballistic missiles against Ukraine on Dec. 30 and again on Jan. 2 and Jan. 6.

South Korea’s UN representative, Hwang Joon-kuk, stated that North Korea was using Ukraine as a “testing ground” for ballistic missiles capable of carrying nuclear warheads.

On Jan. 11, Ukrainian Prosecutor General Andriy Kostin announced that his office had obtained the first evidence of Kremlin forces using North Korean missiles in Ukraine.

However, North Korea denied US accusations that it had transferred ballistic missiles to Russia, calling them “baseless.”

By Feb. 22, Ukraine’s Security Service (SBU) confirmed documented cases of Russian airstrikes on civilian infrastructure using North Korean weapons. According to the investigation, Russian forces had fired over 20 North Korean-made weapons at Ukraine.

By March 14, the Kharkiv prosecutor’s office reported that Russia had launched approximately 50 North Korean Hwasong-11 missiles across six Ukrainian regions.

South Korean officials reported that since 2023, North Korea had supplied around 7,000 containers of ammunition and other military equipment to Russia. In July, South Korean Defense Minister Shin Won-sik revealed that North Korea had transferred more than five million artillery shells and dozens of short-range ballistic missiles to Russia for use in its war against Ukraine.

It was also reported that Russian troops had begun deploying North Korean Bulsae-4 anti-tank missile systems against Ukrainian defenders, as detected by the Ukrainian aerial reconnaissance.

This follows a defense pact signed in mid-June between Russian President Vladimir Putin and North Korea’s leader, with the missile system appearing near the front line in southern Russia just weeks later.

The Bulsae-4 deployment could address Russia’s ongoing shortage of combat vehicles, providing increased speed, mobility, and protection. Details of the defense pact’s terms remain unclear, but it likely includes significant transfers of North Korean equipment.

Previously, North Korea covertly supported Russia with artillery and missiles, while South Korea supplied munitions to Ukraine. With North Korea’s open support for Russia, South Korea may consider enhancing its support for Ukraine.