North Korea test-fired a suspected ballistic missile on Tuesday that may be an improved version of the 'hypersonic missile' it launched less than a week ago, in a move designed to increase pressure on the United States amid stalled nuclear talks and domestic economic woes.
South Korea's Joint Chiefs of Staff (JCS) said the missile was launched from an inland area towards the sea off the east coast at 7.27am, travelling more than 700 kilometres (435 miles) to a maximum altitude of 60 kilometres (37 miles) and hitting a top speed of Mach 10. The JCS assessed that the weapon was more advanced than the one launched on 5 January, and was analysed jointly with US intelligence.
The test drew immediate condemnation from Japan and South Korea. Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida called the launch 'extremely regrettable', while South Korea's National Security Council expressed 'strong regret' at a time of fragile regional stability and urged Pyongyang to resume dialogue.
The launch followed UN discussions on how to respond to last week's test, which North Korea claimed was a hypersonic missile. Analysts suggested the second test so soon might indicate that the earlier launch had failed. It came after leader Kim Jong-un called for bolstering the military to counter an unstable international situation, with denuclearisation talks with the US having stalled since 2019.
The US ambassador to the UN, Linda Thomas-Greenfield, said on Monday that such missile tests 'increase the risk of miscalculation and escalation and pose a significant threat to regional stability'. Some observers believe Kim is using missile tests to distract from serious domestic problems, including food shortages and economic damage.
