North Korea claims its new hypersonic missile will ‘contain’ competitors

North Korea claims its new hypersonic missile will 'contain' competitors

North Korea has announced the successful launch of a new intermediate-range ballistic missile equipped with a hypersonic warhead, asserting that it “will reliably contain any rivals in the Pacific region.”

The launch on Monday marked Pyongyang’s first missile test in two months, coinciding with US Secretary of State Antony Blinken‘s visit to Seoul for discussions with prominent South Korean officials.

Hypersonic weapons present significant challenges for detection and interception due to their capability to exceed speeds of five times that of sound.

North Korea asserts that its missile achieved a speed of 12 times that of sound, covering a distance of approximately 1,500 kilometers.

South Korea’s military reported that the missile traveled a distance of 1,100 kilometers before plunging into the sea, emphasizing its strong condemnation of what it described as a clear act of provocation.

North Korea has conducted test firings of hypersonic missiles in the past. Images released by KCNA indicated that the rocket launched on Monday bore similarities to one fired in April of the previous year.

Pyongyang asserts that its latest hypersonic missile has an innovative “flight and guidance control system” and a new engine constructed from carbon fiber.

On Tuesday, state news agency KCNA reported that the nation’s leader, Kim Jong Un, stated that the launch on Monday “clearly showed the rivals what we are doing and that we are fully ready to use even any means to defend our legitimate interests.”

Ankit Panda, a nuclear weapons specialist at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace, remarked that launching a new weapon is “unsurprising.”

North Korea’s development of composite materials for missile technology has been an ongoing concern for several years.

The allure of these materials lies in their potential to enhance the performance and reliability of the payload significantly. “Improved materials can enhance the likelihood of their survival to the intended destination,” he stated in an interview with the BBC.

Hypersonic weaponry, long a subject of military interest, has seen significant advancements in recent years. New missile technologies boast enhanced agility, faster atmospheric re-entry capabilities, and the ability to perform evasive maneuvers, as reported by the Centre for Arms Control and Non-proliferation.

Space-based sensors can detect hypersonic missiles. Multiple sources indicate that technology is currently available to intercept hypersonic missiles, even given their erratic flight paths. Deployment is expected during the final phase of flight, characterized by reduced speed following an extended journey through the atmosphere.

During his visit to Seoul on Monday, Blinken stated that the United States believes that Russia intends to provide North Korea with advanced space and satellite technology.

Moscow, he noted, “may be close to reversing” its longstanding commitment to denuclearising the Korean peninsula by acknowledging Pyongyang as a nuclear power.

In a significant diplomatic engagement, the US Secretary of State held discussions with South Korea’s acting president, Choi Sang-mok. He characterized the partnership between Washington and Seoul as a fundamental element for peace and stability on the Korean peninsula.

South Korea’s military has announced an enhancement in its surveillance efforts regarding potential missile launches from North Korea, emphasizing that it is “closely sharing information” about these developments with the United States and Japan.

The launch occurred against a backdrop of political turmoil in South Korea. This situation gripped the nation for weeks after President Yoon Suk Yeol‘s brief attempt at martial law was suspended in December.

Having been removed from his presidential duties following a legislative vote for impeachment, Yoon is now confronted with the prospect of arrest. The constitutional court is currently engaged in deliberations regarding his potential removal from office.

Pyongyang has criticized Yoon’s recent declaration of martial law, labeling it an “insane act.” In a statement that lacked any hint of irony, the regime accused Yoon of “brazenly brandishing blades and guns of fascist dictatorship at his people.”

North Korea stands as one of the globe’s most oppressive totalitarian regimes. The leadership of Kim Jong Un and his family has maintained control over the isolated nation for decades, fostering and advancing a cult of personality around their rule.

In November, just one day before the US presidential election, Pyongyang conducted a missile launch, firing at least seven short-range ballistic missiles from its east coast.

Earlier that week, the US deployed a long-range bomber amid trilateral military exercises with South Korea and Japan. This move has sparked criticism from Kim Yo Jong, the sister of North Korean leader Kim Jong Un.

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