Launch of new missile increases pressure on U.S. policymakers to confront North Korean threat

Pyongyang’s launch of a new, long-range missile this week deepens a chief foreign policy dilemma for the Trump administration, putting the threat of a North Korean nuclear strike closer than ever before without revealing appealing solutions for American policymakers.

The debut of the intercontinental Hwasong-15 missile, which analysts said may for the first time put the U.S. capital within reach of a North Korean strike, was hailed by Pyongyang as a milestone in leader Kim Jong Un’s quest to prove his country’s nuclear strike capabilities.

While some of the launch’s technical aspects remain unclear, including the missile payload and its precise range, the latest of more than 20 missile tests this year underscores Pyongyang’s defiance in the face of intensifying U.S. military and economic pressure.

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