South Korea has reported that North Korea may have launched a hypersonic missile towards the eastern coast of the country. The missile was launched from Pyongyang early Wednesday morning but appeared to fail, landing in the sea.
Initially, South Korean authorities believed it was a ballistic missile. Japan's defense ministry confirmed that the missile reached an altitude of about 100 km (62 miles) and traveled over 200 km (124 miles) before falling outside Japan's exclusive economic zone.
This launch follows North Korea's recent criticism of the deployment of the US aircraft carrier, the Theodore Roosevelt, which is participating in joint military exercises with South Korea and Japan. North Korea warned of an "overwhelming, new demonstration of deterrence" in response to these drills.
South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol recently visited the US aircraft carrier, becoming the first sitting president to do so since 1994. He emphasized the strength of the alliance between South Korea and the US, claiming it is the world's greatest and capable of defeating any enemy.
Hypersonic weapons represent the next generation of military technology, designed to outmaneuver traditional defense systems and significantly reduce reaction times. North Korea has previously launched various missiles claimed to be hypersonic. In April, leader Kim Jong Un oversaw the test of a new hypersonic-intermediate range missile using solid fuel.
This missile launch occurred just hours after South Korea reported that North Korea had sent balloons, believed to be carrying rubbish, across the border for the second consecutive day. One balloon caused a three-hour delay at Incheon International Airport after landing on the tarmac near a passenger terminal. The runways have since reopened.
Additionally, South Korea's military reported that North Korea has deployed a large number of soldiers to construct new fortifications along the heavily fortified border between the two countries.
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