Kim Jong Un oversees launch of hard-to-intercept hypersonic missile and says North Korea is fully ‘capable of nuclearizing’

North Korea has reportedly successfully tested a new medium- and long-range solid-fuel hypersonic missile.

What happened: According to a Reuters report, which cited KCNA, North Korea fired a purported intermediate-range ballistic missile into the sea on Tuesday. This action drew immediate criticism from South Korea, Japan and the United States.

The North Korean leader, Kim Jong Unoversaw the launch, which KCNA lauded as a strategic weapon demonstrating the “absolute superiority” of North Korea’s defense technology.

Kim announced that North Korea has now “fully transformed all tactical, operational and strategic missiles of different ranges into solid-fuel, warhead-controlled, nuclear-capable missiles.”

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Hypersonic missiles, which are harder to intercept, and solid-fuel missiles, which can be more easily moved and stored for rapid launch, represent significant advances in North Korea’s missile technology.

Tuesday’s test followed a ground test of a solid-fuel motor for a new type of intermediate-range hypersonic missile carried out in late March. The UK also condemned North Korea’s latest ballistic missile launch, citing it as a breach of multiple UN Security Council resolutions.

Because matter: North Korea’s advances 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 US Secretary of State Antony Blinken’s visit to Seoul.

Furthermore, an expert suggested on Tuesday that Kim’s challenge aims to demonstrate the ineffectiveness of UN sanctions. This is evident from North Korea’s continued ballistic missile activities despite sanctions.

Photo by Alexander Khitrov on Shutterstock

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