North Korea announces successful test of new intermediate-range missile

KCNA reported that the hypersonic glide vehicle atop the IRBM reached its first peak at an altitude of 99.8 kilometres and a second at 42.5 kilometres, successfully completing a 1,500-kilometre path

North Korea announced on Tuesday that it had successfully test-fired a new intermediate-range ballistic missile (IRBM) equipped with a hypersonic warhead, Yonhap News Agency reported, citing state media.

According to North Korea's state media Korean Central News Agency (KCNA), the missile travelled approximately 1,500 kilometres at a speed 12 times faster than sound during a test conducted the previous day under the supervision of North Korean leader Kim Jong-Un via a monitoring system.

Kim stated that the development of the missile was intended to enhance North Korea's nuclear deterrence by "making the weapon system to which no one can respond to the linchpin of strategic deterrence."

"The hypersonic missile system will reliably contain any rivals in the Pacific region that can affect the security of our state. The system can deal a serious military strike to a rival while effectively breaking any dense defensive barrier," Kim said, according to KCNA

The KCNA reported that the hypersonic glide vehicle atop the IRBM reached its first peak at an altitude of 99.8 kilometres and a second at 42.5 kilometres, successfully completing a 1,500-kilometre flight path and striking its designated target in the sea.

This missile test, North Korea's first provocation in roughly two months, occurred less than two weeks before US President-elect Donald Trump's inauguration on January 20.

However, the South Korean military dismissed the North's claim as a "deception," saying there was no second peak.

"The flight range analysed by South Korea, the US and Japan was around 1,100 kilometre and (the missile) did not reach a second peak," JCS spokesperson Col. Lee Sung-un told a regular press briefing, noting the North has a track record of "exaggerating," Yonhap reported.

"North Korea probably intended to flex its muscle against the United States. As it said the latest launch was a test-firing, the weapons system does not appear to be completed, pointing to demand (to further develop) in terms of military technology," an official at South Korea's unification ministry told reporters.

Notably, North Korea fired a hypersonic missile into the East Sea on Monday. South Korea's Joint Chiefs of Staff (JCS) reported detecting the launch of a suspected intermediate-range ballistic missile (IRBM) from the Pyongyang area around noon yesterday.

The missile travelled approximately 1,100 kilometres before landing in the sea, Yonhap reported.

Although the missile's flight range was below the typical 3,000 to 5,500 kilometres covered by IRBMs, a JCS official had noted that it appeared to share features with North Korea's intermediate-range hypersonic missiles tested in January and April last year.