North Korea claims to have tested a medium-to-long-range hypersonic missile

The North Korean regime seeks to master more advanced hypersonic and solid-fuel technologies in order to evade South Korean and American missile defense systems.

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A photo of a test of a new medium-to-long-range solid-fueled hypersonic missile, released on April 2, 2024 by state agency KCNA.  (STR/KCNA VIA KNS/AFP)

North Korean dictator Kim Jong-un supervised the test of a new medium-to-long-range solid-fueled hypersonic missile, state news agency KCNA reported on Wednesday (April 3), welcoming the “significant military strategic value” of the new weapon.

A video, released by the official North Korean agency, shows the missile being placed on its launch vehicle, under the gaze of Kim Jong-un and a group of uniformed soldiers, before the missile takes off leaving behind a plume of smoke and flames.

The test, carried out early Tuesday, focused on a “new type of intermediate-range solid propellant ballistic missile”named Hwasongpho-16B and “loaded with a hypersonic warhead”detailed KCNA.

Kim Jong-un satisfied

The South Korean military said the missile traveled about 600 km before crashing into the waters between South Korea and Japan. The country has thus developed “another powerful offensive strategic weapon” and achieved its objective of acquiring missiles “of different ranges, solid fuel, controlled warhead and nuclear warhead”welcomed Kim Jong-un.

North Korea has long sought to master more advanced hypersonic and solid-fuel technologies to make its missiles better able to neutralize South Korean and U.S. missile defense systems and threaten bases. American regional military.


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