North Korea has reportedly successfully test-fired a new mid- to long-range solid-fuel, hypersonic missile.
What Happened: As per a Reuters report, which cited KCNA, on Wednesday, North Korea launched a suspected intermediate-range ballistic missile into the sea on Tuesday. This action has drawn immediate criticism from South Korea, Japan, and the United States.
The North Korean leader, Kim Jong Un, supervised the launch, which KCNA lauded as a strategic weapon that demonstrates the “absolute superiority” of North Korea’s defense technology.
Kim announced that North Korea has now “fully turned all tactical, operational, and strategic-grade missiles of different ranges into solid-fuel, with warhead control, and capable of nuclearisation”.
The hypersonic missiles, which are more challenging to intercept, and solid-fuel missiles, which can be moved and stored more easily for quick launch, represent significant advancements in North Korea’s missile technology.
The test on Tuesday followed a ground test of a solid-fuel engine for a new type of intermediate-range hypersonic missile in late March. The United Kingdom also condemned North Korea’s latest ballistic missile launch, citing it as a violation of multiple UN Security Council resolutions.
Why It Matters: North Korea’s advancements in hypersonic missile capabilities pose new threats to regional security and U.S. military interests. This development followed North Korea’s missile launch in mid-March, coinciding with U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken’s visit to Seoul.
Furthermore, an expert suggested on Tuesday, that Kim’s defiance aims to prove the ineffectiveness of U.N. sanctions. This is evident from North Korea’s continued ballistic missile activities despite the sanctions.
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