On Thursday, South Korea tested its first domestically developed hypersonic weapon. This weapon aims to travel at speeds more than five times that of sound and evade existing missile defenses. President Lee Jae Myung of South Korea saw this event as pivotal for enhancing the nation’s defense capabilities.
North Korea remained silent following the test. Last week, North Korea conducted a test of its own hypersonic missile, which landed near Japan. President Lee, who witnessed the test, described it as crucial for reinforcing South Korea’s conventional defense abilities. However, details about the test’s location were not disclosed.
The official statement reported that the weapon separated from its booster at the intended altitude, moving vertically and horizontally before hitting a target. Once finalized, this weapon aims for unexpected strikes in the “Korean Peninsula theater of operations.” President Lee emphasized self-reliance in national security and viewed South Korea’s powerful Hyunmoo-5 ballistic missile during the event.
Recent events have heightened tensions between North and South Korea. Last month, land mine explosions near the inter-Korean border injured three South Korean soldiers. While South Korea and the U.S.-led United Nations Command accused North Korea of planting these devices, Pyongyang denied involvement, dismissing calls for an apology.
North Korea’s increased weapons testing, under leader Kim Jong Un, coincides with a hardening stance toward Seoul. Dialogue between Pyongyang and Washington stalled in 2019, with North Korea demanding a cessation of hostile U.S. policies as a precondition for further talks.
President Lee, advocating for dialogue with the North, has also called for bolstering South Korea’s defenses while decreasing dependence on the U.S. This follows the U.S.’s decision to scale back a major military exercise with South Korea.
On October 3, North Korea claimed to have launched a hypersonic intermediate-range missile, covering over 1,000 kilometers. Japan reported it landing outside its exclusive economic zone. South Korea observed a 700-kilometer trajectory, while Japan recorded a 680-kilometer path.
Kim Yo Jong, sister to North Korea’s leader, argued that discrepancies in flight records suggest the inability of South Korea and Japan to accurately track and intercept such missiles.