Arms race on the Korean peninsula: Kim Jong Un claims to have tested a hypersonic missile

North Korea has successfully tested a hypersonic gliding missile, assured this Wednesday the state media of the nuclear regime. It is an asset that at the beginning of the year the leader Kim Jong-un had assured that he was already in development.

Missile launch denounced yesterday by South Korea, baptized Hwasong-8, “It has shown that all the technical specifications have been adapted to the design requirements”, said the official news agency KCNA. This media described him as a realization of “great strategic importance” in Pyongyang’s plan to “multiply by a thousand” its defensive capabilities.

Hypersonic missile drift much faster and more agile than the ordinary ones, turning them into more difficult to intercept for missile defense systems, in which the United States invests billions. Experts say they break at least five times the sound barrier – they would exceed 6,000 kilometers per hour.

Taken from Jagang province (in the north of the country) “Confirmed the navigation control and stability of the missile”, as well as “its guided maneuverability and the characteristics of the glide of the explosive head ”and of the engine, according to KCNA.

“The trial showed that all technical specifications have been adapted to the design requirements“, He affirmed, in addition to confirming that Kim Jong-un had not participated in the trial.

The South Korean military reported the launch shortly after it took place on Tuesday.But he did not provide details on the maximum altitude and flight distance, data which is usually available within an hour.

South Korean media cited unidentified sources who spoke of an artifact with “different flight characteristics” from previous ones and President Moon Jae-in requested “a full analysis” of the event.

The two Koreas are developing their military capabilities in what could turn out to be an arms race. in this divided peninsula of Northeast Asia.

North Korea is subject to several international sanctions because of its nuclear weapons and ballistic missile program. Even like that, This month, it conducted several missile tests.

For its part, Seoul is also investing important elements for military development and this month successfully tested a ballistic missile for the first time launched from a submarine (SLBM), a technology available in very few countries. On Tuesday he held a ceremony to launch his third SLBM submarine.

While, North Korea, which this year has reactivated facilities capable of producing atomic fuel that can be used for bombs, remains insensitive to the US offer to try to reactivate denuclearization talks., stagnant since 2019.

(With information from AFP and EFE)

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