The South Korean government stated on the 7th that North Korea’s test launch of a new hypersonic medium-range ballistic missile (IRBM) might be an attempt to assert its presence to the United States. A Unification Ministry official mentioned that this happened two weeks before the inauguration of U.S. President-elect Donald Trump. The official noted that the weapon system isn’t fully operational yet, describing it as a “test launch,” indicating military and technical needs.
North Korea’s state-run media reported on the 6th that Kim Jong Un monitored the successful test launch of this new hypersonic medium-range IRBM. The photos suggest it to be part of the Hwasong-16 series, previously claimed to feature a newly developed hypersonic glide vehicle.
This missile launch is North Korea’s first since the short-range ballistic missile launch on November 5th and the first since Trump’s election victory. The report implies that Kim moderated his messaging towards the U.S., emphasizing that the hypersonic missile system aims to deter potential adversaries in the Pacific region without directly mentioning the U.S. He also stressed that the missile development is clearly for self-defense, not aggressive purposes.