Kim Jong Un Puts America Within Striking Distance

By Daniel Ten KateDaniel Ten Kate and Adrian LeungAdrian Leung
|

The window to stop North Korea from being able to attack the U.S. with a nuclear bomb is closing fast.

Wednesday’s test of a new missile that could reach any American city brings leader Kim Jong Un closer than ever to acquiring an effective nuclear deterrent. North Korea conducted its sixth and most powerful nuclear test Sept. 3 and U.S. defense analysts now believe Kim has as many as 60 nuclear bombs.

Where North Korea’s Missiles Could Hit

Estimated maximum missile ranges from North Korea

Miami

Washington

Chicago

North

Pole

Anchorage

Honolulu

Pacific

Ocean

1

2

Guam

Indian

Ocean

3

4

Canberra

1

2

No-Dong

Medium-range

Musudan

Intermediate-range

1,500 km

4,000 km

3

4

Hwasong-14

Intercontinental-range

Hwasong-15

Intercontinental-range

10,000+ km

13,000+ km

Note: Map uses an azimuthal equidistant projection, which best preserves distances from the centre and is not restricted to a hemisphere.

Where North Korea’s Missiles Could Hit

Estimated maximum missile ranges from North Korea

Miami

Washington

Chicago

North Atlantic

Ocean

San

Francisco

North

Pole

Anchorage

Honolulu

Tokyo

Pacific

Ocean

1

Indian

Ocean

Guam

2

3

Canberra

4

1

2

3

4

No-Dong

Medium-range

Musudan

Intermediate-range

Hwasong-14

Intercontinental-range

Hwasong-15

Intercontinental-range

1,500 km

4,000 km

10,000+ km

13,000+ km

Note: Map uses an azimuthal equidistant projection, which best preserves distances from the centre and is not restricted to a hemisphere.

Where North Korea’s Missiles Could Hit

Estimated maximum missile ranges from North Korea

Miami

Washington

Chicago

North Atlantic

Ocean

North

Pole

San Francisco

Anchorage

Honolulu

Pacific

Ocean

Tokyo

1

Indian

Ocean

Guam

2

3

Canberra

4

1

2

3

4

No-Dong

Medium-range

Musudan

Intermediate-range

Hwasong-14

Intercontinental-range

Hwasong-15

Intercontinental-range

1,500 km

4,000 km

10,000+ km

13,000+ km

Note: Map uses an azimuthal equidistant projection, which best preserves distances from the centre and is not restricted to a hemisphere.

While Kim declared after the launch of the new Hwasong-15 rocket that the country had “finally realized the great historic cause of completing the state nuclear force,” several hurdles remain. Building a reliable arsenal of intercontinental ballistic missiles also requires miniaturizing warheads, returning them safely through the atmosphere and guiding them to their targets.

Nuclear Test Power

Estimated yield, kilotons

<1

Oct. 9, 2006

Ranges from

2-6

May 25, 2009

Kim Jong Un takes power

6-9

Feb. 12,

2013

6-9

Jan. 6,

2016

10-20

Sept. 9,

2016

50-250

Sept. 3,

2017

13

Hiroshima,

1945

Nuclear Test Power

Estimated yield, kilotons

13

Hiroshima,

1945

Kim Jong Un

takes power

Ranges from

2-6

6-9

<1

6-9

10-20

50-250

Oct. 9,

2006

May 25,

2009

Feb. 12,

2013

Jan. 6,

2016

Sept. 9,

2016

Sept. 3,

2017

Nuclear Test Power

Estimated yield, kilotons

13

Hiroshima,

1945

Kim Jong Un

takes power

Ranges from

<1

2-6

6-9

6-9

10-20

50-250

Oct. 9,

2006

May 25,

2009

Feb. 12,

2013

Jan. 6,

2016

Sept. 9,

2016

Sept. 3,

2017

U.S. President Donald Trump has vowed to prevent North Korea from acquiring that capability and threatened to unleash “fire and fury” in response to further provocations. Kim has remained defiant, firing missiles over Japan into the Pacific Ocean. He has threatened to conduct an atmospheric nuclear test and fire missiles near Guam, home to some of the most important U.S. military bases in the region.

How an ICBM Delivers the Bomb

Highest point reached

(outside earth’s atmosphere)

Third stage

Warhead

separates from

re-entry vehicle

Second stage

Nose cone

protects warhead

from extreme heat

First stage

burnout

Warhead

armed

Shroud

jettisoned

Warhead

detonation

Launch

How an ICBM Delivers the Bomb

Highest point reached

(outside earth’s atmosphere)

Third stage

burnout

Warhead

separates from

re-entry vehicle

Second stage

burnout

First stage

burnout

Warhead

armed

Nose cone protects

warhead from extreme heat

Shroud

jettisoned

Warhead

detonation

Launch

How an ICBM Delivers the Bomb

Highest point reached

(outside earth’s atmosphere)

Third stage

burnout

Warhead separates

from re-entry vehicle

Second stage

burnout

Nose cone protects

warhead from extreme heat

First stage

burnout

Warhead

armed

Shroud

jettisoned

Launch

Warhead detonation

Experts differ on when North Korea will pose a credible threat to the U.S., with estimates ranging from months to years. While Kim’s regime has made steady progress, the U.S. and South Korea assess that its ballistic missiles still couldn’t survive the stress of re-entering the atmosphere or target specific locations.

Ballistic Missile Launches

10

15

20

0

5

Kim Il Sung

1984-1994

’90

’91

’92

’93

Kim Jong Il

1994-2011

’98

’03

’04

’05

’06

’07

’09

Kim Jong Un

2011-

’12

’13

’14

’15

’16

’17

10

15

20

0

5

Ballistic Missile Launches

Kim Il Sung

1984-1994

Kim Jong Il

1994-2011

Kim Jong Un

2011-

20

15

10

5

0

’84

’90

’91

’92

’93

’98

’03

’04

’05

’06

’07

’09

’12

’13

’14

’15

’16

’17

Ballistic Missile Launches

Kim Il Sung

1984-1994

Kim Jong Il

1994-2011

Kim Jong Un

2011-

20

15

10

5

0

’84

’90

’91

’92

’93

’94

’98

’03

’04

’05

’06

’07

’09

’11

’12

’13

’14

’15

’16

’17

No major power has said it would recognize North Korea as a nuclear state. China and Russia, two countries that Trump has singled out for supporting North Korea, have backed stricter United Nations sanctions against Kim while also saying they prefer dialogue and oppose regime change.