South Korea has flight-tested its first domestically developed hypersonic weapon, a milestone Seoul says could reshape its conventional military power on the Korean Peninsula. President Lee Jae Myung attended the test, underlining how seriously the country is treating its homegrown weapons programme.
The test took place on Thursday, according to a presidential statement carried by the Associated Press. The weapon was designed to travel at five times the speed of sound or faster and to evade existing missile defences. The statement said the glide vehicle separated from its booster rocket at the planned altitude, then descended while manoeuvring both vertically and horizontally before striking a test target. Once fully developed, it would be able to hit key targets by surprise across the Korean Peninsula, the statement said.
Lee described the flight as a major step in strengthening the country's conventional defence capabilities and repeated his argument that South Korea must secure its safety through its own strength. He also inspected the Hyunmoo-5, the country's most powerful ballistic missile, on the same day. The statement did not say where the test was conducted, and Lee made no direct public remarks about the North.
The test lands at a tense moment between the two Koreas. Three South Korean soldiers were wounded by landmine blasts near the heavily armed border last month. Seoul's military and the United States-led United Nations Command concluded the devices were planted by North Korea, which has denied responsibility and mocked the South's demand for an apology.
Pyongyang has been expanding its own hypersonic testing. On October 3 it launched what it called a hypersonic intermediate-range missile, saying it flew more than 1,000 kilometres. Japan said the missile fell outside its exclusive economic zone, while Seoul tracked it at more than 700 kilometres. Kim Yo Jong, the North Korean leader's powerful sister, claimed the differing estimates by the two US allies showed they could neither track nor intercept such a missile.
The developments have complicated Lee's push for engagement with Pyongyang. The president has softened his tone toward the North even as public anger over the mine blasts has grown, while also calling for stronger conventional defences and less reliance on Washington. The United States unilaterally scaled back a major joint military exercise with the South in August, with President Donald Trump citing his close relationship with Kim Jong Un, who has so far rejected Trump's calls to restart the diplomacy that collapsed in 2019.
Sources:
South Korea test-flies its first domestically developed hypersonic weapon — Associated Press via NPR Illinois
South Korea test-fires its first homegrown hypersonic weapon: presidency — Arab News
The test took place on Thursday, according to a presidential statement carried by the Associated Press. The weapon was designed to travel at five times the speed of sound or faster and to evade existing missile defences. The statement said the glide vehicle separated from its booster rocket at the planned altitude, then descended while manoeuvring both vertically and horizontally before striking a test target. Once fully developed, it would be able to hit key targets by surprise across the Korean Peninsula, the statement said.
Lee described the flight as a major step in strengthening the country's conventional defence capabilities and repeated his argument that South Korea must secure its safety through its own strength. He also inspected the Hyunmoo-5, the country's most powerful ballistic missile, on the same day. The statement did not say where the test was conducted, and Lee made no direct public remarks about the North.
The test lands at a tense moment between the two Koreas. Three South Korean soldiers were wounded by landmine blasts near the heavily armed border last month. Seoul's military and the United States-led United Nations Command concluded the devices were planted by North Korea, which has denied responsibility and mocked the South's demand for an apology.
Pyongyang has been expanding its own hypersonic testing. On October 3 it launched what it called a hypersonic intermediate-range missile, saying it flew more than 1,000 kilometres. Japan said the missile fell outside its exclusive economic zone, while Seoul tracked it at more than 700 kilometres. Kim Yo Jong, the North Korean leader's powerful sister, claimed the differing estimates by the two US allies showed they could neither track nor intercept such a missile.
The developments have complicated Lee's push for engagement with Pyongyang. The president has softened his tone toward the North even as public anger over the mine blasts has grown, while also calling for stronger conventional defences and less reliance on Washington. The United States unilaterally scaled back a major joint military exercise with the South in August, with President Donald Trump citing his close relationship with Kim Jong Un, who has so far rejected Trump's calls to restart the diplomacy that collapsed in 2019.
Sources:
South Korea test-flies its first domestically developed hypersonic weapon — Associated Press via NPR Illinois
South Korea test-fires its first homegrown hypersonic weapon: presidency — Arab News
