Expert: Chicago, LA in range of North Korea ICBM
PYONGYANG, North Korea (AP) — A private analyst who closely watches North Korea's nuclear and ballistic missile programs says if reports about the country's second intercontinental ballistic missile launch are accurate, the projectile would be powerful enough to reach a wide swath of the United States.
North Korea launched the missile at a steep trajectory late tonight. Japanese officials said it flew about five minutes longer than the North's first ICBM, launched July 4.
David Wright, a physicist and co-director of the global security program at the Union of Concerned Scientists, said in Washington today if reports of the missile's maximum altitude and flight time are correct, it would have a theoretical range of about 6,500 miles. That means it could have reached Los Angeles, Denver and Chicago.