Jin Yong-sung, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, on the 14th acknowledged the possibility of Russian technical support for North Korea's Hwasong-20 intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM; InterContinental Ballistic Missile).
When Yoo Yong-won of the People Power Party asked during the National Assembly National Defense Committee's audit held at the Joint Chiefs of Staff headquarters that morning, "The mobile launcher–type Hwasong-20 has changed from the Hwasong-19 and has a shape similar to Russia's ICBM. Is there a possibility of technical support?" Chairman Jin replied, "I believe there is sufficiently (a possibility)."
The Hwasong-20 is a new ICBM that North Korea unveiled as a core asset at the military parade marking the 80th anniversary of the Labor Party's founding on the night of the 10th. The previous day, Minister Ahn Gyu-baek of the Ministry of National Defense also said of the Hwasong-20, "I think it is early to assess how much performance and capability it has," but noted, "It appears to be true that (North Korea) is receiving technological capabilities from Russia."
At North Korea's parade, the hypersonic missile Hwasong-11ma was also unveiled. Yoo asked Chairman Jin, "China's and Russia's hypersonic missiles fly in a zigzag pattern, and there is no perfect detection method yet. North Korea is not at the level of China and Russia, but it does perform turning flight," and asked whether our military can defend against it.
Jin replied, "We can block it even if the interception rate is slightly lower. I am confident." He added that there is room to verify North Korea's practical technical aspects.
Jin answered "It is absolutely necessary" to a question from Hwang Myung-seon of the Democratic Party of Korea asking whether the transfer of wartime operational control (OPCON) is needed.