North Korea claims successful launch of new ballistic missile
Seoul (Jiji Press) — North Korea said Tuesday that it successfully test-fired a new intermediate-range hypersonic ballistic missile on Monday.
The missile flew 1,500 kilometers to a simulated target at sea at the velocity of 12 times the speed of sound, the country’s state-run Korean Central News Agency said.
The hypersonic missile system “can deal a serious military strike to a rival while effectively breaking any dense defensive barrier,” said North Korean leader Kim Jong Un, who oversaw the launch through a monitoring system, according to the KCNA.
The missile system “will reliably contain any rivals in the Pacific region that can affect the security of our state,” Kim said.
Japanese and South Korean authorities on Monday detected the launch by North Korea of a ballistic missile toward the Sea of Japan.
