Armament
North Korea confirms hypersonic missile test – Kim Jong Un is happy about the new weapons
North Korea’s dictator Kim Jong Un (right) speaks to staff at the North Korean National Defense Academy of Sciences after the rocket launch.
North Korea is promoting the development of hypersonic missiles. Dictator Kim Jong Un pays tribute to the progress made in developing the weapon systems, which he considers to be one of the country’s core tasks.
North Korea claims that it has made further progress in developing hypersonic missiles that are potentially capable of nuclear weapons. Ruler Kim Jong Un followed the test of a hypersonic missile by the Defense Science Academy on Tuesday, the state-controlled media reported on Wednesday. Kim praised the great success in developing such weapons.
According to observers, the latest test underscored the country’s intention to modernize its weapons systems. It was the third time since September that North Korea claims to have tested a hypersonic missile. Hypersonic weapons are particularly difficult to intercept because they can reach more than five times the speed of sound and are maneuverable. So-called hypersonic gliders can be launched from ballistic missiles. UN resolutions prohibit North Korea from testing ballistic missiles, which, depending on their design, can also carry a nuclear warhead.
North Korea is driving missile development
South Korea and Japan spoke on Tuesday of testing a suspected ballistic missile by North Korea. The South Korean military spoke of possible technical improvements compared to the North Korean missile test last week.
In the latest test, according to reports in the North Korean media, the “superior maneuverability of the hypersonic gliding missile was demonstrated even more conspicuously by the last test launch”. The development of such weapons is one of the “five core tasks” of last year’s five-year plan for expanding defense capabilities.
For years, the communist leadership in Pyongyang has primarily been promoting the development of missiles that could be equipped with nuclear warheads. It is therefore subject to severe international sanctions.