North Korean leader Kim Jong Un oversaw the successful test of a new intermediate-range hypersonic ballistic missile (IRBM) on Monday, according to state media KCNA, which reported on Tuesday. Kim pledged to accelerate the nation’s nuclear and missile capabilities.
This test marked North Korea’s first missile launch since November 5 and coincided with a visit by U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken to South Korea, where he reaffirmed the importance of bilateral and trilateral cooperation with Japan in addressing Pyongyang’s growing military threats.
The missile launch occurred less than two weeks before U.S. President-elect Donald Trump, who had held historic summits with Kim during his first term and emphasized their personal relationship, is set to return to office. The missile was fired from the outskirts of Pyongyang, traveled approximately 1,500 km (932 miles) at 12 times the speed of sound, and reached an altitude of nearly 100 km before hitting a target off the east coast, KCNA stated.
The missile’s engine used new carbon fiber composite materials, enabling it to “effectively penetrate any dense defense barrier and deliver a significant military blow to the opponent,” according to the report.
Kim described the missile as a potent weapon designed to address security threats posed by hostile forces and the evolving regional security situation.
“The development of this new-type hypersonic missile is primarily intended to steadily enhance the country’s nuclear war deterrent, making it the key to strategic deterrence—an advanced weapon system that no one can counter,” he said, as quoted by KCNA.
South Korea’s military reported that the suspected IRBM traveled more than 1,100 kilometers (690 miles) eastward before falling into the sea.
Blinken condemned the missile launch alongside South Korean Foreign Minister Cho Tae-yul, also voicing concerns about Pyongyang’s increasingly close ties with Moscow, particularly in the areas of space and satellite technology.
North Korea has been advancing its development of a new solid-fuel hypersonic IRBM amid an escalating race for the next generation of long-range rockets that are challenging to track and intercept.
Last year, tests featured a new solid-fuel design and included a hypersonic glide vehicle, a warhead intended to maneuver and evade missile defenses, according to North Korea.
