North Korean leader Kim Jong Un has confirmed the country’s successful test of a hypersonic missile, which he said traveled over 930 miles at 12 times the speed of sound. The launch marked Pyongyang’s first missile test of 2025 and came during US Secretary of State Antony Blinken’s visit to the region.
Kim claimed the weapon is designed for self-defense, not offense, but warned rivals that it makes its military capabilities “unignorable worldwide.” The development of the hypersonic missile system aims to enhance North Korea’s nuclear deterrent by making it difficult for other nations to respond.
This test marks the latest in a series of hypersonic weapons tests conducted by North Korea since 2021. However, South Korea disputed Kim’s claim, stating that the missile covered less distance and did not reach two peaks as claimed. The launch has raised concerns about regional security, with Blinken condemning it as a “violation of multiple U.N. Security Council resolutions.”
Source: https://abcnews.go.com/International/north-korea-fired-hypersonic-missile-message-rivals-kim/story?id=117408280