North Korea Launches Hypersonic Missile Under Kim Jong-un’s Supervision

Wonsan:North Korean leader Kim Jong-un has overseen the launch of an intermediate-range strategic missile, emphasizing the need to enhance the "fatality" of the country's offensive capabilities. According to Yonhap News Agency, North Korea conducted the missile firing drill toward the East Sea at dawn on Saturday. This exercise aimed to train missile troops operating the "hypersonic strategic weapon system," as reported by the Korean Central News Agency (KCNA). Kim Jong-un highlighted the importance of maintaining a "constant mobilization posture" for the North's military as a demonstration of its counterattack capabilities. He stressed the need for ongoing efforts to make adversaries recognize the reliability and fatality of North Korea's strategic offensive means, describing this as a form of exercising deterrence. The missile launch is reportedly part of efforts to rapidly develop the country's nuclear war deterrent. State media published photos of Kim overseeing the launch with his daughter, Ju-ae, and his wife, Ri Sol-ju. The KCNA noted that the missile, launched northeast, struck a target 1,000 kilometers away in the East Sea. The South Korean military had earlier detected the missile launch from the Wonsan area, reporting that it flew over 700 kilometers toward the East Sea early Saturday morning. Kim Yo-jong, the influential sister of the North's leader, revealed the missile firing on Saturday, claiming that South Korean and Japanese military authorities failed to track the missile's trajectory due to limitations in their capabilities. Experts suggest the possibility of North Korea having launched the Hwasong-16 Na hypersonic medium-range ballistic missile. This speculation comes from reports indicating the missile's capability to change its flight orbit at a low altitude. The missile launch occurred amid increased tensions following last month's land mine incident inside the Demilitarized Zone (DMZ), which injured three South Korean soldiers. The South Korean military accused North Korea of responsi bility for the September 21 mine blast, calling it a "blatant" violation of the armistice agreement that ended the Korean War. Seoul demanded an apology and responsible measures from Pyongyang, while North Korea denied the allegations, accusing Seoul of fabricating the findings and warning of "merciless" retaliation if South Korea takes any corresponding actions.