From its very first public appearance, the illusive “Musudan” (Hwasong-10) medium range ballistic missile (MRBM) was in the heart of a controversy among analysts around the globe. Far too many dismissed the chunky missile as being nothing more than a propaganda stunt, a mockup, and perhaps just a wishful thinking of Kim Jong Un. Then came the horrific sequence of launch failures – and the consensus shifted toward “a real missile, perhaps, but very far from being operational soon”. Then came the dual launch of June 22. Two missiles were successfully launched by the missile forces of North Korea. What can we learn about the missile itself, the launches, and the prospects for the future of the DPRK missile arsenal and its confidence?

The North’s propaganda apparatus was quick to release many pictures of the missile, and the preparations for the launch. It is a gold mine for OSINT and WEBBINT analysts – and indeed we could draw some new insights on the missile – some could help us track the engineering trail of the missile – from the parade of 2010, to the launches of 2016.