New North Korean Missile Is A ‘Monster’

The intercontinental ballistic missile that North Korea launched on Wednesday appears to be significantly larger and more powerful than previous versions, according to independent analysts.

“It’s a monster,” says Vipin Narang, an associate professor at MIT who tracks the North’s nuclear capabilities. The missile is so much larger than previous versions that Narang suspects it could carry a powerful thermonuclear weapon, regardless of whether the North has managed to make a compact, missile-friendly version.

“They wouldn’t have to miniaturize much,” Narang says.