North Korea’s Kim Jong Un oversaw hypersonic missile tests, citing geopolitical crisis and declaring nuclear forces are prepared for actual war
SEOUL: North Korean leader Kim Jong Un oversaw the test-firing of advanced hypersonic missiles to ready Pyongyang’s nuclear forces for war, state media reported on Monday.
The Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) said Sunday’s test was made necessary by the “recent geopolitical crisis”, a clear reference to events in ally Venezuela.
Seoul and Tokyo confirmed they had detected the launch of two ballistic missiles from near Pyongyang.
It was the country’s first weapons test of the year and occurred hours before South Korean President Lee Jae Myung departed for a summit in Beijing.
Lee has expressed hope to use China’s influence over North Korea to improve Seoul’s ties with Pyongyang.
KCNA quoted Kim as saying the test demonstrated “the readiness of the DPRK’s nuclear forces”.
“Important achievements have been recently made in putting our nuclear forces on a practical basis and preparing them for an actual war,” Kim stated.
He said the activity aimed at “gradually putting the nuclear war deterrent on a high-developed basis”.
The necessity was exemplified by “the recent geopolitical crisis and complicated international events”, he added, alluding to the US capture of Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro.
This scenario represents a long-held fear for North Korea’s leadership of a similar “decapitation strike”.
Pyongyang has for decades justified its nuclear and missile programmes as a deterrent against alleged US regime change efforts.
North Korea’s new hypersonic missile system was first tested in October.
Hypersonic missiles travel at over five times the speed of sound and can manoeuvre mid-flight, making them harder to intercept.
They have been used by Russia in Ukraine and by Iran against Israel this year, with North Korea deepening ties to Moscow recently.
