North Korea launched missiles towards the east, days after South Korea tested its first domestically developed hypersonic weapon, as Pyongyang continues to expand its arsenal of systems capable of carrying nuclear warheads and adopts a more confrontational stance towards Seoul. South Korea’s Joint Chiefs of Staff did not specify whether the weapon launched by Pyongyang was a ballistic missile, nor did it announce how far it travelled.
Japan detects two suspected ballistic missiles
Meanwhile, Japan’s Defence Ministry said it had detected the launches of at least two suspected ballistic missiles and estimated that both fell into waters outside Japan’s exclusive economic zone. The launch came after South Korea conducted a flight test on Friday of its first domestically developed hypersonic weapon.
The weapon was designed to fly at a speed of at least five times the speed of sound, with the ability to evade missile defence systems. South Korean President Lee Jae Myung described the test as an important step towards strengthening his country’s conventional defence capabilities, as North Korea has recently intensified weapons tests aimed at expanding its nuclear arsenal.
The escalation included a test conducted by Pyongyang on 3 October of what it said was a medium-range hypersonic missile, specifically designed to overcome defence systems in South Korea and Japan. North Korea has also conducted other missile tests and live-fire drills, and launched a new warship.
Leader Kim Jong Un continues to highlight his country’s military nuclear programme, while rejecting US and South Korean offers to resume a diplomatic process that has been stalled for a long time.
