US general confident North Korean missile can be intercepted

WASHINGTON – An Air Force general says she is extremely confident the United States could intercept a ballistic missile fired by North Korea.

During congressional testimony Thursday, Gen. Lori Robinson said North Korea “can’t reach our homeland” right now. Robinson told the Senate Armed Services Committee, “I’m confident, should he do that.”

She was referring to North Korea’s young leader, Kim Jong Un.

Robinson is the top officer at U.S. Northern Command and the North American Aerospace Defence Command in Colorado.

North Korea is pushing hard to upgrade its weapons systems to cope with what it calls U.S. hostility.

Many weapons experts say the North could have a functioning nuclear-tipped missile capable of reaching the continental U.S. within a few years. North Korea carried out two nuclear tests last year.