South Korea’s military stated that a suspected hypersonic missile launched by North Korea exploded in flight, according to AP News.
The missile launch could be a reaction to North Korea’s protest against the regional deployment of a US aircraft carrier for trilateral military exercises with South Korea and Japan. The missile, launched from the North Korean capital around 5:30 a.m., was aimed at the North’s eastern waters before failing, South Korea’s Joint Chiefs of Staff stated.
The Joint Chiefs of Staff reported that the missile exploded as it flew over the eastern coastal town of Wonsan. Fragments of the missile were scattered on the water up to 250 kilometres (155 miles) from the launch site.
Meanwhile, The US Indo-Pacific Command said it condemned the launch and US commitments to protect South Korea and Japan “remain ironclad.” In a trilateral phone call, senior diplomats from South Korea, the US, and Japan also denounced North Korea’s missile launch as a violation of UN Security Council resolutions and a threat to international peace.
North Korea has been conducting a series of hypersonic missile tests since 2021. However, foreign experts doubt that North Korean hypersonic devices have proven in test flights the desired speed and manoeuvrability. The country has also pushed in recent years to develop more weapons with solid propellants.
The launch also came at a time when both Koreas are engaging in psychological campaigns, such as balloons filled with rubbish and loudspeaker broadcasts. About 100 North Korean balloons carrying paper rubbish bags reportedly landed on South Korean territory.
