North Korea says it tested 2 hypersonic projectiles, successfully hit target

Seoul, Oct 23 (IANS) North Korea said Thursday it has successfully tested two hypersonic projectiles, calling them a new "important" weapon system, adding that the "cutting-edge" missiles strengthen the North's war deterrence.

"Two hypersonic projectiles launched from the Ryokpho District, Pyongyang Municipality, toward the northeast direction hit the target point on the tableland of Kwesang Peak in Orang County, North Hamgyong Province," the Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) said.

The test, conducted the previous day by the Missile Administration, was part of a defence capability development programme aimed at enhancing the sustainability and effectiveness of its strategic deterrence against potential enemies, the KCNA reported.

The previous day, South Korea's military said North Korea fired multiple short-range ballistic missiles northeastward at around 8:10 a.m., which flew about 350 kilometres.

Military sources said the weapons may have been the tactical ballistic missile, known as the Hwasongpho-11-Da-4.5, tested by the North in September last year, adding that the missiles landed inland, not in the East Sea.

North Korean leader Kim Jong-un was not present at Wednesday's test. Pak Jong-chon, secretary of the Central Committee of the Workers' Party of Korea (WPK), and other officials oversaw the launch.

Kim's absence lends support to the view that the North has yet to complete its technological development for the Hwasong-11Ma, first disclosed in a military parade earlier this month.

"The new cutting-edge weapon system is clear proof of steadily upgrading self-defensive technical capabilities" of North Korea, Pak said, expressing the country's resolve to continue bolstering its war deterrence and strengthening self-defence.

He described the tested weapon system as having a "new strategic value."

The latest ballistic missile launch was the first of its kind since South Korean President Lee Jae Myung took office in June and the first ballistic missile provocation in about five months, Yonhap news agency reported.

The military muscle flexing came about a week before South Korea hosts the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) summit in the southeastern city of Gyeongju on October 31-November 1.

Neither South Korea's military nor the unification ministry provided further details when asked about their assessment of the timing of the launch.

But a military official said the North might still not have sharpened its hypersonic missile technologies, noting traits of the advanced missile, such as evasive manoeuvring, were not detected in the latest launch.

A hypersonic missile is usually hard to intercept with existing missile defence shields. It travels at a speed of at least Mach 5 -- five times the speed of sound -- and is designed to be manoeuvrable on unpredictable flight paths and fly at low altitudes.

In a parliamentary audit session held Thursday, Gen. Son Sug-rag, Air Force chief of staff, said further assessment is needed on whether the launched missiles were the Hwasong-11Ma.

Meanwhile, officials said it is difficult to conclude whether the latest launch was aimed at conveying any political message ahead of the APEC summit, referring to the facts that the leader did not oversee the launch in person and the country cited self-defence as its reason.

--IANS

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