Pyongyang rejects Seoul's hypersonic test claims, justifies own arms buildup
North Korea renewed its attack on South Korea's recent hypersonic weapon test Friday, rejecting Seoul's explanation that advanced materials prevented the weapon from showing burn marks and using the South's weapons development to justify its own arms buildup. The latest dispute comes as the two Koreas offer conflicting assessments of the technology demonstrated in South Korea's first test launch…
North Korea has rejected South Korea's claims about its recent hypersonic weapon test, justifying its own arms buildup. The dispute arose as South Korea successfully tested a hypersonic glide vehicle (HGV) on October 8. North Korea initially doubted the test's success, stating that the vehicle did not reach hypersonic speeds due to the absence of soot on its surface.
However, South Korea's defense ministry argued that the vehicle was equipped with advanced thermal-protection technology, and visible soot is not always expected during hypersonic flight. Pyongyang responded harshly, calling South Korea's explanation "far-fetched" and stating that heat-resistant materials and thermal protection performance are not the issue.
Vice department head of the Workers' Party Central Committee, Kim Jong-sik, emphasized this point in a statement to the Korean Central News Agency.
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