North Korea has announced the successful test launch of new hypersonic missiles capable of carrying nuclear warheads, strengthening its arsenal amidst escalating tensions. Dictator Kim Jong-un asserts that the country is developing a nuclear deterrent, expanding its weapons inventory to overwhelm South Korea’s defenses. The North’s state media reported on the new hypersonic system following South Korea’s detection of multiple missiles fired from an area south of Pyongyang, traveling about 217 miles northeast before landing.
The missile tests coincide with the gathering of world leaders, including US President Donald Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping, in rival South Korea for the annual Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation meetings. The US Forces Korea expressed awareness of North Korea’s ballistic launches and its pursuit of long-range missile capabilities, urging the North to refrain from actions violating UN Security Council sanctions, reaffirming the strong alliance with Seoul.
According to the Korean Central News Agency, the recent launches involved two hypersonic projectiles hitting a land target in the North’s northern region. The system is described as strategic, suggesting the missiles could be equipped with nuclear warheads. While the specific name of the tested missile system was not disclosed, Kim unveiled new military weapons, including a short-range ballistic system with hypersonic glide vehicles, at a recent military parade.
In recent years, North Korea has been conducting tests on missile systems with hypersonic capabilities, designed to travel at speeds exceeding five times the speed of sound. The agility and velocity of these weapons aim to evade regional missile defense systems, although experts have raised doubts about the North’s claimed speeds during tests.
Pak Jong Chon, a top military official under Kim’s command, praised the performance of the “cutting-edge weapon system” during the recent tests, emphasizing ongoing efforts to enhance the country’s defense capabilities. At the October 10 parade, Kim introduced a new intercontinental ballistic missile deemed the country’s most potent nuclear asset, adding to his growing arsenal capable of reaching the US mainland.
Analysis suggests that North Korea may be gearing up to test the missile in the upcoming weeks before a significant ruling party meeting in early 2026, where Kim is expected to outline key policy directions, potentially addressing relations with the United States. Following the breakdown of nuclear talks with Trump in 2019 due to disagreements over sanctions, Kim has accelerated weapons testing activities.
The ballistic missile launches on Wednesday mark North Korea’s first tests since the inauguration of liberal South Korean President Lee Jae Myung, who aims to restore peace on the Korean Peninsula. Despite overtures for dialogue from Lee, Kim has rebuffed talks and insisted on the US abandoning its denuclearization objective for any potential diplomacy to resume.
