Intheeventof a precise hit, the kinetic energy of the EKVand the missilewillpulverize the warheadanddestroyanynuclear, chemical, or biological agents it might becarrying.
The US and North Korea's neighbours fear Pyongyang's ultimate goal is to put a nuclear warhead on a long-range missile that could target the west coast of the US, but it is not believed to have mastered the technology yet.
This includes tests of high-explosive triggers useful for nuclear weapons, and the redesign of a missile nose-cone to take what looks like a nuclear warhead.