What type of missile did North Korea test in 2024?

• A. Short-range ballistic missile
• B. Intercontinental ballistic missile
• C. Cruise missile
• D. Hypersonic glide missile

Answer: (B)

Missile type here is determined by range and flight path. An intercontinental ballistic missile is built for very long-range strikes, typically thousands of kilometers, with a ballistic flight profile that arcs into space before reentering the atmosphere to deliver a payload. In 2024, North Korea’s test was described as an intercontinental ballistic missile, signaling a capability to reach distant targets such as the continental United States. This distinguishes it from shorter-range ballistic missiles, which stay within regional distances, as well as from cruise missiles, which fly with air-breathing engines along guided paths at relatively low altitudes, and from hypersonic glide missiles, which use a glide vehicle after boost rather than a traditional ballistic arc.