The Hwasong-19 is a North Korean intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM). It is the largest operational road-mobile ICBM in the world.¹ The missile has three solid-fueled stages and is cold-launched.

Hwasong-19 Development

On October 30, 2024, the South Korean government reported that it had detected a North Korean ICBM being pre-positioned on a transporter-erector launcher (TEL) at an undisclosed site.² The following day, October 31, North Korea conducted a test launch of the Hwasong-19 missile near Pyongyang. The missile was cold-launched from an eleven-axle TEL on a lofted trajectory, with video footage showing all three stages separating in orbit.³ According to North Korean state media, the Hwasong-19 missile reached a maximum altitude of 7,687.5 km, traveled a distance of 1,001.2 km, and remained in flight for 86 minutes before landing in the Sea of Japan.⁴ Japanese and South Korean analysts estimated that the missile reached a maximum altitude of 7,000 km, but concurred with North Korea’s reported flight distance and duration.⁵

Hwasong-19 Specifications

 The Hwasong-19’s larger size allows it to carry more fuel and achieve greater range than earlier North Korean ICBMs. Its first test underscored this advantage: the missile reached a maximum altitude at least 500 km higher and remained in flight 13 minutes longer than the most recent Hwasong-18 launch.⁷ At 28 meters long, the Hwasong-19 is larger not only than its solid-fuel predecessor, the Hwasong-18, but also the Hwasong-17, North Korea’s largest liquid-fueled ICBM, which was likely designed to hold multiple independent re-entry vehicles (MIRVs).⁸

Analysts speculate that the Hwasong-19 may serve as a test platform for deploying MIRVs, citing the presence of thrusters on its warhead.⁹ These thrusters would enable the warhead to operate as a post-boost vehicle (PBV), maneuvering towards its target or guiding the release of MIRVs during re-entry.¹⁰

The Hwasong-19’s exact range remains uncertain. South Korean officials believe that, if launched on a standard, not lofted, trajectory, the missile could strike the U.S. mainland.¹¹ Other experts dispute this, noting that the HS-19 has not demonstrated such capability and faces major technical hurdles, such as improving warhead survivability during atmospheric reentry and developing more advanced guidance systems.¹² Additionally, its large size would also create operational challenges, making the missile easier to detect and target, while limiting its mobility.¹³