North Korea tests hypersonic missile as Blinken visits the region

North Korean leader Kim Jong Un announced that a new hypersonic missile system tested this week would serve as a deterrent against rivals in the Pacific, according to state media reports released Tuesday. The test coincided with U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken’s visit to South Korea and Japan, highlighting the continued tension in the region.

Kim, who personally oversaw the missile’s launch, said the system would “reliably contain any rivals in the Pacific region that can affect the security of our state,” the Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) reported. He described the test as part of North Korea’s broader strategy to enhance its defense capabilities.

The missile reportedly traveled 1,500 kilometers (930 miles), significantly exceeding the 1,100-kilometer (680-mile) estimate provided by South Korea’s military. Kim said the weapon reached speeds 12 times the speed of sound before landing in the ocean.

“This is clearly a plan and effort for self-defense, not an offensive plan and action,” Kim stated. However, he underscored the missile’s strategic significance, claiming it could “deal a serious military strike to a rival while effectively breaking any dense defensive barrier.”

The launch marks North Korea’s first missile test since November, when the country fired what it described as its most advanced solid-fuel intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) to date.

The timing of the hypersonic missile test is notable, coming just two weeks ahead of the inauguration of U.S. President-elect Donald Trump and during Secretary Blinken’s trip to the region. Blinken, who met with officials in South Korea before traveling to Japan, was expected to address the North Korean missile threat in discussions with Tokyo later on Tuesday.

The developments come amid ongoing tensions on the Korean Peninsula, where North and South Korea technically remain at war due to the absence of a peace treaty following the Korean War armistice in 1953.

Kim emphasized that North Korea’s advancements in defense capabilities, underpinned by the test, “will be further accelerated” as the country strives to establish itself as a military power. He also claimed the missile’s performance “cannot be ignored worldwide.”

Blinken has yet to respond directly to the test, but U.S. officials have previously criticized North Korea’s weapons programs, calling them a threat to regional and global stability.