North Korea conducted a new weapons test on September 20, supervised by leader Kim Jong-un, with the exact characteristics of the system tested remaining partially unknown. According to the South Korean military, two short-range ballistic missiles were detected on the same day from the Wonsan region, heading towards the East Sea. The test was only announced on September 22 by the official KCNA agency.
The KCNA agency reported that Kim Jong-un presented the test as a demonstration of advanced defense technologies and a step in the modernization of the armed forces. The nature of the system tested remains officially unspecified by Pyongyang. However, images released after the test showed an screen observed by Kim Jong-un and his daughter Kim Ju-ae displaying the mention "flight trajectory of the Hwasongpho-11Ma-1".
Analysts in South Korea believe that the test could concern an improved version of a hypersonic ballistic missile from the Hwasong-11 family. This identification is not presented as an independent technical confirmation. The data visible on the North Korean screen raises questions, with a flight distance of 908.2 kilometers appearing, while the South Korean joint chiefs of staff had evaluated the two shots at approximately 450 kilometers and over 600 kilometers.
Kim Jong-un attributed significant military importance to this technology, affirming that it would cause his adversaries "incurable headaches" and inflict a "very cruel and inevitable blow". This test is part of a series of recent launches by North Korea. On September 12, Pyongyang had already fired several short-range ballistic missiles from Wonsan, a day after the end of the trilateral military exercise Freedom Edge, organized by the United States, South Korea, and Japan.
The September 20 launch was not the first test of the month, with two new shots detected at an interval of approximately three hours. The first traveled nearly 450 kilometers, and the second over 600 kilometers, according to South Korean data. This was, according to Yonhap, the 14th launch of North Korean ballistic missiles this year.
These tests take place while discussions on the security of the peninsula remain tense. The calendar also gives them diplomatic significance, as they preceded the opening of the general debate of the UN General Assembly and the summit scheduled for September 24 in Washington between Donald Trump and Xi Jinping.
Analysts cited by Yonhap believe that Pyongyang may seek to remind Washington that it continues to develop its military capabilities. The tests also come as the international community is closely watching North Korea's military activities, with concerns about the impact on regional and global security.
Key points
- North Korea's leader Kim Jong-un supervised a new weapons test, promising a "devastating blow" to its adversaries.
- The test is believed to be an improved version of a hypersonic ballistic missile from the Hwasong-11 family.
- This is the 14th launch of North Korean ballistic missiles this year, amid tense discussions on the security of the peninsula.
