Key Takeaways
- North Korea conducted a successful test launch of a ballistic missile, marking a significant advancement in their missile technology.
- The missile featured a hypersonic, manoeuvrable, controlled warhead, and the test aimed to assess its gliding and manoeuvring capabilities.
- The launch was conducted to check the reliability of newly developed multi-stage high-thrust solid propellant engines.
Pyongyang: The North Korean government said Pyongyang’s recent launch of a solid-fuel medium-range ballistic missile was successful, North Korean state-run news agency KCNA reported on Monday.
On Sunday, Japanese and South Korean militaries said North Korea conducted a launch of a ballistic missile that fell outside Japan’s exclusive economic zone.
The missile was equipped with a hypersonic, manoeuvrable, controlled warhead, the report said. The launch was conducted to check the gliding and manoeuvring characteristics of the warhead and the reliability of newly developed multi-stage high-thrust solid propellant engines, the report said.
The test launch did not affect the security of neighbouring countries and had nothing to do with the regional situation, the news agency reported.
This was the first ballistic missile launch by North Korea in 2024. Pyongyang previously launched a missile on December 18, 2023. Then, it was reportedly the Hwasong-18 intercontinental ballistic missile.
