North Korea missile – Artifex.News

North Korea says latest missile tests demonstrate new hypersonic systems

admin — Wed, 22 Oct 2025 23:48:00 +0000

An object, what appears to be a missile, flies through the air, as the Missile General Bureau of North Korea claims they successfully conducted a test of a major weapons system on October 22, 2025, at an unspecified location, in this photo released by North Korea’s official Korean Central News Agency October 23, 2025. Photo: KCNA via Reuters

North Korea said Thursday (October 23. 2025) that its latest missile tests involved new hypersonic systems aimed at strengthening its nuclear war deterrent, as leader Kim Jong Un continues to build up weapons designed to overwhelm South Korea’s missile defenses.

The report by North Korea’s official Korean Central News Agency came a day after South Korea’s military said it detected the North firing multiple missiles from an area south of the capital, Pyongyang, and said they flew about 350 kilometers (217 miles) northeast before falling on land.

The tests came days before world leaders, including U.S. President Donald Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping, are expected to gather in rival South Korea for the annual Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation meetings.

KCNA said the launches involved two hypersonic projectiles that accurately struck a land target in the country’s northern region. It described the system as strategic, implying that they were designed to be armed with nuclear warheads.

KCNA didn’t specify the name of the new missile system it tested. The tests came after a massive military parade in Pyongyang earlier this month, where Kim unveiled some of his military’s newest weapons, including what appeared to be a short-range ballistic system fitted with hypersonic glide vehicles.

North Korea in recent years has been testing various missile systems tipped with hypersonic weapons, which are designed to fly at more than five times the speed of sound. The speed and maneuverability of such weapons are meant to help them evade regional missile defense systems, but experts have questioned whether they have consistently flown at the speeds the North claims during tests.

Pak Jong Chon, one of Kim’s top military officials who attended Wednesday’s tests, lauded the performance of the “new cutting-edge weapon system” and said the North would continue efforts to bolster its war deterrent and defense capabilities.

During the Oct. 10 parade, Kim also unveiled a new intercontinental ballistic missile that state media described as the country’s most powerful nuclear asset, adding to his growing collection of weapons with potential range to reach the U.S. mainland. Experts say the North could be preparing to test the missile in the coming weeks, ahead of a major ruling party conference in early 2026, when Kim is expected to announce key policy directions — potentially including his approach toward the United States.

Kim has been sharply accelerating the pace of weapons tests since his high-stakes nuclear diplomacy with Trump fell apart in 2019 due to wrangling over the U.S.-led economic sanctions.

Wednesday’s launches marked North Korea’s first ballistic missile tests since liberal South Korean President Lee Jae Myung took office in June, pledging to restore peace on the Korean Peninsula. But Kim has so far rejected Lee’s offer for talks and has said he won’t resume diplomacy with the United States unless Washington abandons its goal of denuclearizing the North.

Some experts had predicted that North Korea could conduct provocative missile tests before or during the APEC summit to underscore its commitment to gaining international recognition as a nuclear weapons state.

Published – October 23, 2025 05:18 am IST

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North Korea says its recent missile tests involved new ballistic missile with ‘super-large warhead’

admin — Tue, 02 Jul 2024 02:16:10 +0000

A TV screen shows a file image of North Korea’s missile launch during a news program at Seoul Railway Station in Seoul, South Korea, Tuesday, July 2, 2024.
| Photo Credit: AP

North Korea said on July 2 it had test-fired a new tactical ballistic missile capable of carrying a huge warhead, as the country is pushing to modernise its weapons arsenal to cope with what it calls U.S.-led threats.

The North’s official Korean Central News Agency called the weapon Hwasongpho-11Da-4.5 which can carry a 4.5 ton-class “super-large warhead.” It said the test-fire on July 1 was meant to verify flight stability and hit accuracy at the maximum range of 500 kilometres (310 miles) and the minimum range of 90 kilometres (55 miles).

South Korea’s military earlier said that North Korea launched two ballistic missiles from one of its southwestern towns in a northeastern direction on July 1 and that the first missile flew 600 kilometres (370 miles) and the second missile 120 kilometres (75 miles). The second missile’s flight distance was too short to reach the waters off the North’s east coast, a typical landing site for North Korean test missiles.

South Korea’s Joint Chiefs of Staff said the second North Korean missile possibly travelled abnormally during the initial stage of its flight. It said if the missile exploded, its debris would likely have scattered on the ground though no damages was immediately reported.

The KCNA dispatch didn’t say from where it launched the new missile and where it landed. But the fact that it tested both the missile’s maximum and minimum ranges suggested North Korea performed two launches.

KCNA, citing North Korea’s Missile Administration, reported that North Korea will test-fire the missile again later in July to verify the performances of its simulated warhead at the medium range of 250 kilometers (155 miles).

Since 2022, North Korea has sharply accelerated weapons testing activities to enlarge its arsenal of nuclear-capable weapons designed to strike key sites in the mainland US, South Korea, and Japan. The ranges of the newly tested missile suggest it targets South Korea.

Experts say North Korea would ultimately want to use an expanded nuclear arsenal to increase its leverage in future diplomacy with the US.

July 1st’s missile test was North Korea’s first weapons firing in five days. Last Wednesday, North Korea launched what it called a multiwarhead missile in the first known test of a developmental weapon aimed at penetrating its rivals’ missile defences. North Korea said the launch was successful, but South Korea dismissed the North’s claim as a deception to cover up a failed launch.

The latest launches came a day after North Korea vowed “offensive and overwhelming” responses to a new U.S. military drill with South Korea and Japan.

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North Korea fires ballistic missile, South Korea’s military says

admin — Fri, 17 May 2024 06:51:59 +0000

A TV screen shows a file image of North Korea’s missile launch during a news program at the Seoul Railway Station in Seoul, South Korea.
| Photo Credit: AP

North Korea fired a ballistic missile towards the sea off its east coast, South Korea’s military said on May 17.

South Korea’s Joint Chiefs of Staff did not immediately provide details of the projectile or its trajectory.

Also read | North Korea says Kim Jong-un supervised tests of rocket launchers targeting Seoul

North Korea has launched a range of ballistic and cruise missiles as well as tactical rockets in recent months, describing them as part of a program to upgrade its defensive capabilities.

Earlier on Friday, the powerful sister of North Korea leader Kim Jong Un said its tactical rockets were intended solely as a deterrent against South Korean military aggression, while denying that Pyongyang was exporting the weapons.

The missile launch comes at the same time as a visit by Russian President Vladimir Putin to the Chinese northeastern city of Harbin.

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