North Korea poses greater threat with more ICBM tests, says US commander

A US commander has assessed that North Korea is likely to conduct more Intercontinental Ballistic Missiles (ICBM) tests, posing a greater threat to the United States.

Gen. Terrence O'Shaughnessy, United States commander of the Northern Command and North American Aerospace Defense Command, Gen. Terrence O'Shaughnessy has submitted his assessment to the House Armed Services Subcommittee on Strategic Forces, that says, "North Korea's recent engine testing suggests the regime may be ready to test a more advanced intercontinental ballistic missile that could pose a greater threat to the United States."

In 2017, after its first ICBM test, the leader of North Korea Kim Jong-Un declared the research and development phase of the country's strategic weapons program complete and vowed to begin serial production and deployment of these new systems.

North Korea has tested several new short-range missile systems and demonstrated advancing technologies that could eventually be incorporated into its strategic systems.

In December, Kim stated it was time to take offensive measures to ensure the country's sovereignty and security and threatened to soon unveil a new strategic weapon.