North Korea Launches Hypersonic Missile Under Kim Jong Un’s Supervision

North Korea announced that it conducted a hypersonic missile launch drill on Monday, with leader Kim Jong Un personally observing the exercise, according to state media.

The Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) reported that the missile was launched from Pyongyang’s Ryokpho District toward the northeast and struck designated targets approximately 1,000 kilometers away in the East Sea. The test was described as part of an operational evaluation of the country’s strategic deterrence capabilities.

Following the launch, Kim stated that repeatedly demonstrating the readiness and “lethality” of strategic strike assets is an effective means of exercising war deterrence. He said the drill was aimed at gradually strengthening North Korea’s nuclear deterrent in response to what he described as ongoing geopolitical crises and international instability.

KCNA did not specify the missile’s exact model or technical specifications. However, based on the reported range and flight profile, South Korean and international analysts suggested it may have been a variant of the KN-23 system equipped with a hypersonic glide vehicle, possibly linked to the “Hwasong-11” series.

State media emphasized that the drill assessed the preparedness and mission capability of the hypersonic weapons system while also training missile units in operational deployment. The report added that the exercise served as an evaluation of the sustainability, effectiveness, and mobility of North Korea’s war deterrence posture.

Kim expressed satisfaction with what he called significant progress in the practical deployment of nuclear forces, attributing the results to the country’s defense development strategy and advances in military science and technology. He also stressed the need to continue upgrading military capabilities, particularly offensive weapons systems.

Senior officials, including Kim Jong Sik, first deputy director of the Munitions Industry Department, and Jang Chang Ha, head of the Missile General Bureau, accompanied Kim during the observation, according to KCNA.