North Korea has made new advances in its intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) program but has not yet demonstrated all the capabilities needed to hit America with such a weapon, a top American general said Tuesday, according to an AFP report.
While Pyongyang has shown it can put the United States in range and point a rocket to the country, General Paul Selva, vice chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, said it has not yet proven that its fusing and targeting technologies can survive the stresses of ballistic missile flight.
"They have made some strides but it's still true that they haven't demonstrated all of the components of an intercontinental ballistic missile system," Selva was quoted as having told reporters.
Also unclear is whether North Korea has a re-entry vehicle strong enough to return into the Earth's atmosphere from space and deliver a warhead.
"It's possible (North Korean leader Kim Jong-Un) has them, so we have to place the bet that he might have them, but he hasn't demonstrated them," Selva said, according to AFP.
Last year, North Korea tested ICBMs that had the potential range of reaching the United States mainland. Most recently, it launched a Hwasong-15 missile, a new type of ICBM which officials said can fly over 13,000 km (8,080 miles).
Pyongyang said following that launch as well that that it had test-fired its most advanced missile, putting the U.S. mainland within range, and also declared itself to be "a responsible nuclear power".
Selva's comments came a day after CIA Director Mike Pompeo told the BBC that he believes North Korea may be able to strike the U.S. within "a handful of months."
Pompeo also said that President Donald Trump's language helped North Korean leader Kim Jong-un understand that "America is serious." However, he warned that the CIA talks about Kim "having the ability to deliver nuclear weapons to the United States in a matter of a handful of months."
He did not, however, explain what steps the U.S. might take, noting only that "many things are possible."
Kim claimed earlier this month that his country has developed the capability to hit the entire U.S. mainland with its nuclear weapons.
“The entire United States is within range of our nuclear weapons, and a nuclear button is always on my desk. This is reality, not a threat,” the North Korean leader said in a televised New Year’s Day speech.
Trump then tweeted in response, “North Korean Leader Kim Jong Un just stated that the ‘Nuclear Button is on his desk at all times.’ Will someone from his depleted and food starved regime please inform him that I too have a Nuclear Button, but it is a much bigger & more powerful one than his, and my Button works!”