Expert Says North Korea Could Launch Test Missiles Every Two Weeks In 2017
- 7 years ago
Thursday marked North Korea’s fourth missile test within four weeks’ time, and a U.S. expert on the nation predicts it’s capable of performing such trials at a pace of 1 every 2 weeks for the remainder of the year.
Thursday marked North Korea’s fourth missile test within four weeks’ time, and a U.S. expert on the nation predicts it’s capable of performing such trials at a pace of 1 every 2 weeks for the remainder of the year.
Troy Stangarone, the Korea Economic Institute of America’s senior director for congressional affairs, wrote in a piece published on June 9, “Since assuming leadership in North Korea, Kim Jong-un averaged 10.8 missile tests per year in the 2012-2016 period. Though, these numbers are driven up by the higher volume of tests in recent years.”
He continues, “While there is no linear pattern to North Korea’s missile tests, if North Korean tests continue at the same pace as they have so far this year we should expect a new missile test every 2.1 weeks and another 13-14 tests. If that is the case, which it may not be, North Korea would exceed last year’s total number of missile tests by 3-4 tests.”
Though not all of the tests have been successful, CNN notes, “Analysts say each launch, successful or not, improves missile technology and ultimately provides information that helps bring North Korea closer to its goal of building a missile that could reach the US.”
Thursday marked North Korea’s fourth missile test within four weeks’ time, and a U.S. expert on the nation predicts it’s capable of performing such trials at a pace of 1 every 2 weeks for the remainder of the year.
Troy Stangarone, the Korea Economic Institute of America’s senior director for congressional affairs, wrote in a piece published on June 9, “Since assuming leadership in North Korea, Kim Jong-un averaged 10.8 missile tests per year in the 2012-2016 period. Though, these numbers are driven up by the higher volume of tests in recent years.”
He continues, “While there is no linear pattern to North Korea’s missile tests, if North Korean tests continue at the same pace as they have so far this year we should expect a new missile test every 2.1 weeks and another 13-14 tests. If that is the case, which it may not be, North Korea would exceed last year’s total number of missile tests by 3-4 tests.”
Though not all of the tests have been successful, CNN notes, “Analysts say each launch, successful or not, improves missile technology and ultimately provides information that helps bring North Korea closer to its goal of building a missile that could reach the US.”