North Korea Likely Test-Fired Advanced Hypersonic Weapon, Analysts Suggest

According to the International Desk of Webangah News Agency, North Korea fired two short-range ballistic missiles off its east coast on Sunday. Analysts suggest that one of these tests may have been related to an upgraded version of the Hwasong-11NA-1 hypersonic missile, based on data released by the Mehr News Agency, citing Agence France-Presse.

Without specifying the type of weapon, North Korea stated that its missile bureau had successfully tested a “new type of weapon” as part of an advanced defense technology demonstration. Yang Moo-jin, former president of the University of North Korean Studies in Seoul, said the missile, with a range of 450 to 600 kilometers, is designed to target key military installations across the Korean Peninsula in a short timeframe.

Images released by North Korean state media show Kim Jong Un and his daughter, Ju Ae, observing the missile’s flight path. Kim also warned that the advancement of this weapon could deliver a “very painful and unavoidable blow” to enemies. Analysts also note that military cooperation between North Korea and Russia has increased since the start of the Ukraine war, with Pyongyang receiving economic and military technology benefits in exchange for supporting Moscow.

Hong Sung-pyo, a researcher at the Korea Military Affairs Institute, stated that a single successful test is insufficient to prove the weapon’s full capabilities, but if operationally deployed, defense against it would be extremely difficult. This is because the missile maneuvers in its terminal phase of flight, and interception becomes more challenging than with conventional ballistic missiles, especially at hypersonic speeds.