Kim Jong-un names his favourite missile launcher a national hero of North Korea
Kim Jong-un has named his favourite missile launcher a national hero putting its status on par with the North Korean leader's dad and grandad.
The Hwasong-17 launch vehicle 321 was decorated with a Hero of the Republic medal, as well as the Gold Star medal and Order of the National Flag, First Class.
The strange move puts the launch vehicle in a similar class to Kim Jong-il, Kim Il-sung, Fidel Castro and Muammar Gaddafi.
Jacob Bogle, a North Korea analyst, said it wasn’t unheard of for the country to bestow honours on inanimate objects, but to grant a vehicle such prestige was odd even for Pyongyang.
He said: “These are among the highest orders and decorations that can be bestowed in North Korea and they are often awarded together automatically.
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The Hwasong-17 preparing for a missile launch (Office of the North Korean government press service/UPI/REX/Shutterstock)“The title is reserved for those who perform tremendous feats during battle, or for the party and state.
“For comparison, one might describe it as a George Cross or perhaps similar to the United States' Presidential Medal of Freedom.”
He continued: “Giving awards to factories, individual machines, and vehicles isn't unheard of. In fact, it’s a practice that goes back to the days of Kim Il-sung.
“However, bestowing high-ranked awards is quite unusual and I am not aware of another example where the Hero of the Republic title was awarded to an object.”
Honours like these usually bring additional perks too, like greater rations, free household appliances and even a pad in Pyongyang – though it's unclear whether these benefits will be afforded here too.
The truck has been bestowed with the same honours as Kim Jong-un's father Kim Jong- il, pictured (Getty Images)Pyongyang revealed the decision via its propaganda outlets late last year, though it was little reported outside of Korea.
Justifying the medal, state media said that November’s Hwasong 17 launch had “clearly proved before the world that North Korea is a full-fledged nuclear power”.
The country was now “capable of standing against the nuclear supremacy of the US imperialists” the report continued, “with the absolute power to put an end to imperialist tyranny on Earth”.
Kim Jong-un himself has been photographed with the vehicle multiple times, and newsreel video of the launch featured it heavily from a variety of angles.
The dictator also posed with the truck for the post-blast off victory photo, with dozens of soldiers arrayed on top of the launcher.
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Leader Kim Jon-un, pictured here with his sister, has been photographed with the launcher numerous times (Getty Images)Mr Bogle said that, however strange the move, the significance of the TEL (transporter, erector, launcher) vehicle should not be understated.
The Hwasong-17 ICBM (intercontinental ballistic missile) could put the US in reach of North Korean nukes – and the launch vehicles make them harder to stop.
Mr Bogle said: “TEL 321, the specific vehicle that was awarded, has come to symbolise North Korea's broader ambitions to become a nuclear power capable of attacking any country on Earth.
“If the country can build dozens of these vehicles and reliably produce more of the Hwasong-17, they can launch dozens of nuclear missiles at once.
“And if those missiles have multiple warheads, the threat becomes having perhaps a hundred nuclear bombs speeding towards the US.
A missile after being launched by the Hwasong-17 vehicle (Office of the North Korean government press service/UPI/REX/Shutterstock)“Currently, no missile defence system has the capability to confidently eliminate that many projectiles.”
He continued: “Having adequate numbers of TELs also means North Korea could hide them all over the country.
“Even if most of them were destroyed during the opening stages of a new war, the country would still have some in reserve and could strike back.”
Mr Bogle noted that 106 individuals had received promotions and awards in the aftermath of the missile test too.
However, he suggested that the vehicle might represent something more than any one person’s effort.
He said: “The TEL and missile have accomplished more than any individual scientist or military official could, making such an award justified in the mind of Kim Jong-un.”
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