US intelligence agencies have described the latest missile launched on Tuesday by North Korea as a new kind of missile that had not been seen before.
CNN on Wednesday cited a US intelligence official as saying the new missile is a new two-stage rocket.
The first stage of the weapon was identified as a KN-17 liquid fueled missile, which is well-known to US intelligence and was previously used by North Korea.
US satellites had detected the KN-17 missile that was being prepared for launch.
However, at some point prior to launch, the North Koreans attached a second stage atop that missile.
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The focus now is on the capability of that second stage, and how it technically contributed to making Pyongyang’s latest test its first ever intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) launch.
The second stage had a separate 30-second burn cycle, which allowed the missile to travel the extra distance to classify it as an ICBM.
North Korea announced on Tuesday it…