According to the Epoch Times, the test was conducted on Jan. 14 at a launch site close to the North Korean capital Pyongyang. The state-run Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) reported the launch – the country's first ballistic test for 2024 – a day later on Jan. 15.
It added that the launch of the missile, designed to achieve intermediate-range strikes, was an improvement from earlier launches. Moreover, the KCNA said the test sought to confirm the solid-fuel engine's dependability and the maneuverable flight capabilities of the hypersonic warhead. The test launch "never affected the security of any neighboring country and had nothing to do with the regional situation," it stressed.
The KCNA's report about the launch followed the missile being detected by South Korea and Japan, adversaries of the hermit kingdom. It also comes at the heels of a successful solid-fuel intermediate-range ballistic missile (IRBM) launch months ago, as Pyongyang gets ready to target U.S. military bases in Guam and Japan.
While the agency reported that the test was successful, it did not give additional details whether North Korean leader Kim Jong Un was present. All it disclosed was that the launch was part of the regular weapons development activities of the North, formally the Democratic People's Republic of Korea.
Pyongyang's present arsenal consists of IRBMs, including the Hwasong-12 missile powered by shorter-range liquid-fuel engines and capable of reaching the U.S. military base in Guam in the Pacific. Missiles with built-in solid propellants can be made ready to launch quicker and are easier to move and hide, which makes them harder to detect and intercept.
South Korea looking at North's recent missile test
Lee Sung-joon, spokesperson for South Korea's Joint Chiefs of Staff (JCS) said the country's military is examining the launch but provided no additional details. According to the JCS, the missile landed in waters between the Korean Peninsula and Japan after flying for about 600 miles. (Related: South Korea accuses North Korea of supplying Russia with over 1M ARTILLERY SHELLS in exchange for advanced technologies.)
Meanwhile, the South Korean Ministry of National Defense has warned Pyongyang against additional ballistic testing – an action that violated resolutions by the United Nations Security Council. It added that the South Korean military stands strong with its U.S. allies, and is ready to jointly defend itself against any incitement by the North in the future.
Since 2021, Pyongyang has been testing more capable hypersonic weapons designed to surpass five times the speed of sound. Even though their consistency remains in question, they could pose a grave threat to regional missile defense systems due to their speed and maneuverability.
Hypersonic weapons remain a long-term objective for North Korean leader Kim, who revealed a modern military arsenal in 2021. The new weapons he unveiled include multi-warhead missiles, spy satellites, solid-fuel intercontinental ballistic missiles (ICBMs) and submarine-launched nuclear missiles.
Chang Young-keun, a missile expert at South Korea's Research Institute for National Strategy, said North Korea's current display of power is geared toward simultaneously attempting to advance its hypersonic weapons and create solid-fuel IRBMs as possible delivery systems. He explained: "In particular, a hypersonic missile with IRBM-level range would be an effective means for evading U.S. missile defenses and striking Guam."
Professor Kim Dong-yub of the University of North Korean Studies in Seoul said the test would allow North Korea to validate the vehicle's ability to glide and maneuver at desired speeds after its separation from the booster.
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Watch this video about North Korea unveiling its newest nuclear missiles capable of striking America.
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