North Korea appears to have tested an upgraded hypersonic weapon, say analysts

North Korea may have recently tested an advanced hypersonic weapon, according to analysts reporting to AFP. The isolated nation conducted missile launches off its east coast on Sunday, which were condemned by South Korea and Japan as threats to regional peace and security. North Korea did not specify the type of weapon, but analysts suggest it could be an enhanced version of the Hwasong-11Ma-1 hypersonic short-range ballistic missile, capable of traveling between 450km to 600km.

State media released images showing North Korean leader Kim Jong Un and his daughter Ju Ae observing the missile's flight path on a screen labeled "Hwasong-11Ma-1 flight trajectory." The weapon's leader warned that the improvements would make adversaries face "an incurable headache and a very cruel and unavoidable blow." Despite ongoing UN sanctions, North Korea maintains its nuclear-armed status and has gained support from Russia, who has deployed troops to aid in Russia's invasion of Ukraine.

Analysts believe the weapons tests are primarily aimed at supplying Russia with military technology, rather than advancing North Korea's capabilities. If deployed operationally, the hypersonic weapon would be challenging to defend against due to its maneuverability during the terminal phase of flight.