North Korea brags of new missile with 'super-large warhead.' Outsiders doubt the North's claim

SEOUL, South Korea (AP) — North Korea said Tuesday it had test-fired a new tactical ballistic missile capable of carrying “a super-large warhead,” a claim quickly disputed by South Korean officials and experts who speculate the North likely fabricated a successful test to conceal a botched launch.

It’s the second time that South Korea has questioned North Korea’s claim on the development of new weapons in recent days, as the rivals are locked in heightened animosities over the North’s testing activities.

The North’s official Korean Central News Agency said that Monday’s test involved the Hwasongpho-11 Da-4.5 missile, which can carry a 4.5 ton-class warhead. It said the test was meant to verify the weapon’s flight stability and hit accuracy at the maximum range of 500 kilometers (310 miles) and the minimum range of 90 kilometers (55 miles).

The test apparently refers to the two ballistic missile launches that South Korea said North Korea performed Monday.

Joint Chiefs of Staff spokesperson Lee Sung Joon said at a briefing later Tuesday that the second North Korean missile was found to have fallen on an uninhabited area near Pyongyang, the North’s capital. He said he could find few previous test-launches by North Korea that have aimed at ground target sites.

“Regarding the North Korean assessment, we’re weighing a possibility of deception,” Lee said.

The South Korean military has said the second North Korean missile possibly traveled abnormally during the initial stage of its flight. It said if the missile exploded, its debris would likely have scattered on the ground.

The KCNA dispatch didn’t say from where it launched the new missile and where it landed. Unlike previous weapons tests, North Korea also didn’t publicize any photos of Monday’s test. The fact that it tested both the missile’s maximum and minimum ranges suggested North Korea performed two launches.

KCNA, citing North Korea’s Missile Administration, reported that North Korea will test-fire the missile again later in July to verify the performances of its simulated warhead at the medium range of 250 kilometers (155 miles).

Some experts say test-firing missiles at ground targets could be related to efforts to test how powerful warheads are to destroy underground bunkers and structures.

But Shin Jongwoo, a Seoul-based military expert, said the lack of any photos on the launches means it’s highly likely the North is trying to deceive the outsiders to cover up Monday’s failed launches. He said North Korea likely launched an existing missile on Monday, not the new missile at it claimed.

Yang Uk, an analyst at Asan Institute for Policy Studies, said that Monday’s tests reflected North Korea’s push to acquire a variety of conventional weapons. But he also said if North Korea truly succeeded in hitting a ground target, it probably would have already published related images to brag about its achievements as it’s done in the past.

Since 2022, North Korea has sharply accelerated weapons testing activities to enlarge its nuclear arsenal. The North Korea-claimed ranges of the newly tested missile imply it targets South Korea. Experts say North Korea would ultimately want to use an expanded weapons arsenal to increase its leverage in future diplomacy with the U.S.

On June 26, North Korea launched what it called a new multiwarhead missile in the first known test of a developmental weapon aimed at penetrating its rivals’ missile defenses. North Korea said the launch was successful, but South Korea dismissed the North’s claim as deception to cover up a failed launch. South Korea said the weapon blew up, sending debris in the waters off the North's east coast.

Also Tuesday, South Korea held live-fire drills near the heavily fortified land border with North Korea, the first of its kind since the South suspended a 2018 agreement with the North aimed at reducing front-line military tensions in early June. Last week, South Korea conducted similar firing exercises near its disputed western sea boundary with North Korea.

The back-to-back South Korean exercises could prompt North Korea, which also said it won’t be bound by the 2018 pact any longer, to take provocative steps at border areas.

Meanwhile, during a four-day key ruling party meeting that ended Monday, North Korean leader Kim Jong Un claimed that his country’s economic and food situations have improved and presented officials tasks to maintain a steady economic development, KCNA said Tuesday. It didn’t mention whether the meeting discussed any security or foreign policy issues.

A TV screen shows an image of North Korean leader Kim Jong Un during a news program at Seoul Railway Station in Seoul, South Korea, Tuesday, July 2, 2024. North Korea said Tuesday it had test-fired a new tactical ballistic missile capable of carrying a huge warhead, as the country is pushing to modernize its weapons arsenal to cope with what it calls U.S.-led threats. (AP Photo/Ahn Young-joon)

A TV screen shows a file image of North Korea's missile launch during a news program at Seoul Railway Station in Seoul, South Korea, Tuesday, July 2, 2024. North Korea said Tuesday it had test-fired a new tactical ballistic missile capable of carrying a huge warhead, as the country is pushing to modernize its weapons arsenal to cope with what it calls U.S.-led threats. (AP Photo/Ahn Young-joon)

A TV screen shows a file image of North Korea's missile launch during a news program at Seoul Railway Station in Seoul, South Korea, Tuesday, July 2, 2024. North Korea said Tuesday it had test-fired a new tactical ballistic missile capable of carrying a huge warhead, as the country is pushing to modernize its weapons arsenal to cope with what it calls U.S.-led threats. (AP Photo/Ahn Young-joon)

In this photo provided on Tuesday, July 2, 2024, by the North Korean government, North Korean leader Kim Jong Un delivers a speech during a meeting of Central Committee of the Workers' Party of Korea held from June 28 until July 1, in Pyongyang, North Korea. Independent journalists were not given access to cover the event depicted in this image distributed by the North Korean government. The content of this image is as provided and cannot be independently verified. Korean language watermark on image as provided by source reads: "KCNA" which is the abbreviation for Korean Central News Agency. (Korean Central News Agency/Korea News Service via AP)

In this photo provided on Tuesday, July 2, 2024, by the North Korean government, North Korean leader Kim Jong Un delivers a speech during a meeting of Central Committee of the Workers' Party of Korea held from June 28 until July 1, in Pyongyang, North Korea. Independent journalists were not given access to cover the event depicted in this image distributed by the North Korean government. The content of this image is as provided and cannot be independently verified. Korean language watermark on image as provided by source reads: "KCNA" which is the abbreviation for Korean Central News Agency. (Korean Central News Agency/Korea News Service via AP)

MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — Royce Lewis was placed on the 10-day injured list by the Minnesota Twins on Wednesday with a right adductor strain, the latest setback in the star infielder’s young career, and called up prospect Brooks Lee in his place.

Lewis, 25, is on the injured list for the second time this season after he missed 58 games with a partially torn quadriceps in his right leg. He’s also made his way back twice from ACL tears in his right knee since being the No. 1 overall pick in the 2017 draft by Minnesota.

Lewis was removed from Tuesday’s game against Detroit with what the team first declared was left groin tightness after he pulled slowly into second following a two-run, two-out double.

“Probably not very optimistic, to be honest with you,” Lewis said after the game. “I’m praying, but it’s usually always horrible news. So, we’ll see.”

Lewis has 31 homers and 80 RBIs in just 100 major league games, including the postseason.

He was hitting .292 with 10 home runs and 18 RBIs with a 1.039 OPS in 24 games this season.

“Dealing with things that are really difficult never becomes easy, but they become easier as time goes on,” Twins manager Rocco Baldelli said Wednesday. “The more you experience in life — he’s already dealt with a lot of physical injuries, physical ailments early on in his career. He’s dealt with them all really well. I have no doubt he’s gonna deal with this perfectly fine.”

The team hasn’t announced a timeline for Lewis’ return but said he’d be reassessed after the upcoming All-Star break.

“Most likely, but he’s going to be down a few weeks,” president of baseball operations Derek Falvey said. “That’s our current expectation. Obviously tough news for Royce. He’s been through a lot.”

Replacing Lewis on the roster is Lee, the No. 8 overall pick by Minnesota in the 2022 draft who is rated as the No. 13 overall prospect in baseball, according to MLB Pipeline. A switch hitter, Lee was recently named to the All-Star Futures Game.

Drafted as a shortstop, he has played around the infield for Triple-A St. Paul this season and was in Wednesday’s lineup at third base for the Twins against Detroit for his debut. He had two hits in the game and had his first career RBI, driving in Byron Buxton in the seventh inning with a single.

Lee, 23, has hit .329 with seven homers and 21 RBIs with a 1.029 OPS in 20 games for St. Paul.

“As long as I’m in the lineup and we win, that’s all that matters to me,” Lee said. “And they know how to win already, so I’m not too worried about that.”

Lee, too, is coming off injury. He missed two months earlier this season with a herniated disk in his back.

“When you look down and see what he’s been doing since he came back healthy, you really couldn’t ask for much more,” Falvey said. “This kid’s hit from both sides of the plate. He’s even better right-handed than he has been over the last few years. He’s got a really good feel for defense.”

To make room on the 40-man roster to select Lee’s contract from Triple-A, Minnesota transferred right-handed pitcher Brock Stewart to the 60-day injured list. Stewart is out with right shoulder tendinitis, but Falvey said the move isn’t a reflection of Stewart’s outlook.

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Minnesota Twins third baseman Royce Lewis makes an off-balance throw on a ball hit by Arizona Diamondbacks' Kevin Newman, who was safe on Lewis' throwing error during the sixth inning of a baseball game Thursday, June 27, 2024, in Phoenix. Minnesota won 13-6. (AP Photo/Rick Scuteri)

Twins place third baseman Royce Lewis on the injured list, call up prospect Brooks Lee

Twins place third baseman Royce Lewis on the injured list, call up prospect Brooks Lee

Minnesota Twins' Royce Lewis hits a two-run double during the third inning of a baseball game against the Detroit Tigers, Tuesday, July 2, 2024, in Minneapolis. (AP Photo/Abbie Parr)