North Korea’s leader, Kim Jong Un, announced that the country successfully tested a new hypersonic missile this week, a move aimed at deterring its Pacific rivals, according to state media reports on Tuesday.
This missile test took place just weeks before the inauguration of U.S. President-elect Donald Trump, who had previously attempted to engage North Korea diplomatically, and coincided with U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken’s visit to South Korea.
Kim, who oversaw the missile launch, stated that the new hypersonic missile system would “reliably contain any rivals in the Pacific region that could threaten the security of our state.” The test also highlighted the use of a “new compound of carbon fiber” in the missile’s engine, which experts warned could enhance North Korea’s ability to target distant locations with technology that is currently available only to the U.S., Russia, and China. The missile’s launch also featured a “new comprehensive and effective method” for flight and guidance control, according to the state-run KCNA news agency.
Blinken, who was in South Korea on Monday for talks with the country—North Korea’s main regional rival—was expected to address the North Korean missile issue during his upcoming discussions in Tokyo with Japan. This was North Korea’s first missile launch since November, when it tested what it described as its most advanced solid-fuel intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM).
In a statement, Kim revealed that the missile flew for 1,500 kilometers (930 miles), surpassing the 1,100-kilometer figure reported by South Korea’s military. The missile reached speeds 12 times the speed of sound before crashing into the ocean. Kim emphasized that the missile’s performance should “not be ignored worldwide,” noting its potential to “deliver a serious military strike to a rival while effectively bypassing any dense defensive barriers.”
