06.01.2024, Seoul.
North Korea launched a missile into the East Sea, which South Korean military officials suspect to be hypersonic, according to a statement from the Joint Chiefs of Staff (JCS) on January 6, as reported by Yonhap News Agency.
The JCS stated that around 12:00 PM, a projectile believed to be a medium-range ballistic missile (MRBM) was launched from the Pyongyang area. The missile traveled approximately 1,100 kilometers before falling into the sea.
However, analysts suggest that the missile may have been hypersonic, as such weapons are more difficult to intercept than conventional ballistic missiles due to their advanced maneuverability.
The JCS warned that a missile of this type could theoretically strike US military bases in Guam if deployed at its maximum range.
North Korea’s most recent missile activity before this launch was on November 5, when it fired several short-range ballistic missiles into the East Sea.
Hypersonic missiles are part of an advanced weapons program announced by North Korean leader Kim Jong Un during a key Workers’ Party congress in 2021. This program also includes nuclear-powered submarines, spy satellites, and solid-fuel intercontinental ballistic missiles (ICBMs).
Source: Rossa Primavera News Agency
