The US calls on North Korea to continue denuclearization negotiations 2
`It is disappointing to see North Korea continue to prioritize its nuclear and ballistic missile programs, instead of working toward a bright future for its people. The United States calls on North Korea to continue substantive negotiations to reach a situation of peace.`
The statement was made after North Korean state television station KCTV reported on a large-scale military parade held in the capital Pyongyang in the early morning of October 10.
The new ICBM model was launched by North Korea during the military parade on October 10.
The highlight of the ceremony was the appearance of 4 transport vehicles and launch pads carrying a new model of intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM), which is larger in size and appears to be developed from the Hwasong-15 series.
`It is a liquid-fueled rocket mounted on the largest mobile chassis in the world,` commented expert Ankit Panda of the Union of American Scientists.
All types of weapons test-fired by North Korea in the period 2019-2020 also appeared in the parade, including the submarine-launched ballistic missile (SLBM) Pukguksong-3 with a range of 2,000 km, but over
North Korea in 2017 launched three ICBMs, including the Hwasong-14 missile with an estimated range of 10,400 km and the Hwasong-15 model that can reach targets at a distance of up to 13,000 km, enough to cover the entire US territory.
North Korea late last year stepped up activities at facilities related to its ballistic missile program, repeatedly warning that it would send a `Christmas gift` to the US and follow a `new path` if Washington did not change.
Observers predict that Pyongyang will launch an ICBM at the end of December 2019 or the first months of 2020 to clearly show the message.
