North Korea Claims Success in Hypersonic Ballistic Missile Test

North Korea’s General Bureau of Missile Development announced the successful test launch of a new hypersonic ballistic missile, according to the Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) on January 7.

The missile, reportedly capable of mid-to-long-range strikes, was launched from a site near Pyongyang and allegedly traveled 1,500 kilometers at a speed twelve times faster than sound, hitting its designated target area in open waters.

KCNA stated the missile reached two peak altitudes of 99.8 and 42.5 kilometers during its trajectory.

North Korean leader Kim Jong Un observed the test, declaring that the missile could “deliver a powerful military strike against adversaries, effectively overcoming any dense missile defense system.” He emphasized that the missile was developed as a deterrent against threats in the Asia-Pacific region rather than for offensive purposes.

However, South Korean intelligence expressed skepticism about the test’s authenticity. The Joint Chiefs of Staff in Seoul reported that North Korea’s claims might be exaggerated or deceptive.

According to assessments by South Korean, US, and Japanese military officials, the missile’s actual range was estimated to be only about 1,100 kilometers, and it reportedly did not achieve the second peak altitude of 42.5 kilometers as claimed.

South Korean military officials also voiced the possibility that North Korea may have received technological assistance from Russia in developing the missile.

Earlier, North Korea launched what appeared to be an intermediate-range ballistic missile into the Japanese sea during US Secretary of State Antony Blinken’s visit to Seoul.