When all countries without exception are struggling to deal with coronavirus and busy creating apt measures for the virus including research on vaccine, North Korea launched sixth unidentified projectile in 30 days.
Amidst news of officers and people with coronavirus executed in North Korea, the country has been maintaining that there have been no confirmed cases and deaths due to COVID-19. Instead, it is launching an unidentified projectile, causing concerns to neighbouring countries, especially South Korea, that has successfully managed to contain the spread of virus and death toll.
Currently available reports state that North Korea has an arsenal between 20 and 30 nuclear weapons; and fissile material for up to 60 nuclear weapons.
North Korea nuclear weapon timeline
1962: Though North Korea started showing interest in developing nuclear weapons in the 1950s, it committed to "all-fortress-ization" started building of hyper-militarized North Korea in 1962.
1963: First Soviet Union and then later China refused to help North Korea in developing nuclear weapons. But Soviet agreed to help North Korea develop a peaceful nuclear energy program, including the training of nuclear scientists. First IRT-2000 research reactor at Yongbyon Nuclear Scientific Research Center that became operational in 1965. It was upgraded in 1974.
1979: North Korea built a second research reactor in Yongbyon
1980: North Korea started operating facilities for uranium fabrication and conversion, conducted high-explosive detonation tests.
1985: North Korea ratified the declaration of Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons (NPT)
1993: IAEA concluded that there was proof that North Korea's declaration was incomplete. Following this, North Korea withdrew from NPT but was later withdrawal was suspended
1994: The US facilitated the supply of two light-water reactors to North Korea with the condition that the country will agree for disarmament under the Agreed Framework.
2002: With North Korea and the US blaming each other for flouting agreement, Agreed Framework was abandoned
2003: North Korea withdrew from the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons (NPT)
2006: North Korea is conducting a series of six nuclear tests since 2006, resulting in other countries including US imposing sanctions
2005: North Korea admitted to being in possession of nuclear weapons but promised to close the nuclear program
2006: On October 9 North Korea made an announcement of successfully conducting a first underground nuclear test
2007: On January 6, North Korean again confirmed the news that it still possessed nuclear weapons. In March told that it was preparing to close its main nuclear facility. The agreement was signed between North Korea, South Korea, China, Russia, Japan, and the United States. The first talk for this agreement started in 2003. On July 14, International Atomic Energy Agency inspectors confirmed that North Korea had closed its Yongbyon nuclear reactor, resulting in financial aids pouring into the country again.
2009: North Korea launched a satellite flouting the agreement. The agreement was cancelled following reports that North Korea had become a full-fledged nuclear power. On May 25, North Korea conducted a second nuclear test conducted probably at Mantapsan, Kilju County. Countries issued sanctions and aides were stopped.
2012: North Korea made an announcement that it would suspend uranium enrichment at the Yongbyon Nuclear Scientific Research Center and said it would not conduct any more nuclear weapons tests. But in April, North Korea conducted a long-range missile test in resulting in the US stopping the food aid
2013: On February 11, the US Geological Survey reported the third underground nuclear test by North Korea
2016: On January 6, the United States Geological Survey detected a magnitude 5.1 seismic disturbance and reported the fourth underground nuclear test. North Korea stated it was a hydrogen bomb. This test was criticized by countries across the world. On February 7 North Korea claimed to have launched a satellite into orbit around the Earth. Japan had warned North Korea against launching a rocket, but the latter claimed it was for peaceful, scientific reasons.
On March 2, the UN Security Council voted to impose additional sanctions against North Korea. On September 9, North Korea conducted the fifth Nuclear test
2017: North Korea launched two ICBMs and the country in September also announced a hydrogen bomb test. On March 6 it launched four ballistic missiles from the Tongchang-ri region towards the Sea of Japan. '
On April 15 North Korea took out a massive military parade to on the occasion of 105th birth anniversary of Kim Il-sung, founder of the country who is also the grandfather of Kim Jong-un. The parade displayed two new intercontinental ballistic missile-sized canisters as well as submarine-launched ballistic missiles and land-based versions of ballistic missiles
On April 16, it tried to launch a ballistic missile from a site near the port of Sinpo, but it exploded soon after launch Another unidentified ballistic missile was fired on April 28, over Pukchang airfield that too exploded shortly after launch
On July 4 country launched Hwasong-14 from Banghyon airfield, near Kusong. On July 28, second advanced, ICBM, estimated to reach the United States was launched, but was later reported to be a failure. On August 8, The Washington Post reported that North Korea has sufficiently miniaturized a nuclear warhead to fit inside one of its long-range missiles.
On September 3 North Korea announced that it had successfully tested a thermonuclear bomb (hydrogen bomb). On November 20 US President Donald Trump stated that North Korea was re-listed by the State Department as a state sponsor of terrorism.
On November 28, 2017, North Korea fired an intercontinental ballistic missile and claimed that it could hit the whole mainland of US. Kim-Jong-Un made an announcement that North Korea had finally realized the great historic cause of completing the state nuclear force.
2019: North Korea launched two short-range missiles on November 28, it was the country's 13th missile test since May. The missile launches were said to be aimed at warning to US and other countries to relax the sanctions against Nor h Korea, imposed since 2016.
2020: On March 9, three unidentified projectiles were fired by North Korea between the Korean Peninsula and Japan into waters On March 21, two more projectiles were fired into the same area, from the northern Pyongan region.
March 29: North Korea fired an unidentified projectile into the sea off the coast of Japan.
Successfully tested missiles by North Korea:
Hwasong-5, Hwasong-6, Hwasong -7, Hwasong-9, Hwasong-10, Hwasong-11, Pukkuksong-1, Pukkuksong-2, Hwasong-12, Hwasong-14, Hwasong-15.
