North Korean State Affairs Commission Chairman Kim Jong-un observed a mid-range strategic missile launch exercise and reaffirmed the policy of strengthening nuclear forces, saying that continuous verification and performance improvement of weapons systems is "a form of exercising deterrence."
The Korean Central News Agency said that mid-range strategic missile launch training was conducted from the eastern region to the East Sea in the early morning of the 4th, and that this training was "to train the firepower service capabilities of missile soldiers handling hypersonic strategic weapon systems" and "part of an evaluation project on the reliability, effectiveness, and mobility of war deterrence."
The training was attended by Chairman Kim, Kim Jung-sik, First Vice Director of the Ministry of Military Industry of the Workers' Party of Korea, and Jang Chang-ha, Director of the General Missile Bureau. According to photos reported by North Korean media, Chairman Kim's daughter Joo Ae and spouse Ri Sol-ju also watched the training.
Chairman Kim said at the scene, "Establishing a strong and reliable nuclear deterrent and demonstrating that our military's counterattack means are always ready for mobilization are very important measures and responsible activities in ensuring national security."
Chairman Kim praised the commanders and soldiers of the missile unit, saying, โThe strategic missile soldiers have demonstrated extremely proficient professional qualifications in the operation of important offensive weapon systems and a counterattack readiness that can be mobilized at any time,โ and โprovided confidence in our deterrence power.โ
He emphasized, โWe must continue to make responsible efforts to constantly and repeatedly make our opponents aware of the reliability of strategic attack means and their lethality,โ adding, โThis is a form of exercising deterrence.โ
He continued, "Our activities are clearly aimed at further upgrading the country's nuclear war deterrence. It is essential to protect the country's safety and stability in today's geopolitical environment," and argued that weapons system verification exercises such as missile launches are defensive in nature.
At the same time, he said, "There can be no change in our views and policies," and reaffirmed that he would not give up the policy of strengthening nuclear weapons, saying, "We must control various threats with strong deterrence and ensure a safer environment for our nation-building and activities."
The news agency claimed that the launched missile was launched in the northeast direction and โhit the set target at latitude 43ยฐ36โฒ28.04โ and longitude 138ยฐ00โฒ47.02โ, 1,000 km off the East Sea.โ
A photo was also released of a missile being launched spewing flames into the sky. The number '17701922' was written on the missile along with the North Korean flag.
It also showed the backs of Chairman Kim and his daughter Joo-ae looking at the launch scene, as well as Chairman Kim's family and military executives smiling brightly. A monitor screen showing the trajectory of the missile was also captured behind Joo-ae.
The red trace shown on the monitor screen appears to have the shape of a hypersonic missile that, unlike a typical ballistic missile, performs a 'pull-up' maneuver to rise again from the descent phase and then glides for a certain section.
Shin Jong-woo, Secretary General of the Korea Defense and Security Forum (KODEF), estimated that the missile launched this time was a 'cone-shaped' hypersonic missile test-launched in 2022 and used a solid fuel first-stage propellant based on the shape of the flame in the photo.
The propellant and launcher appear to be the same as the 'Hwasong-16na' type hypersonic medium-range ballistic missile (MRBM), which is characterized by anomalous maneuver, and it is believed that it was launched by placing a conical hypersonic warhead on the solid fuel propellant of the 'Hwasong-16na' type.
North Korea test-launched a ballistic missile with a cone-shaped warhead twice at six-day intervals in January 2022, claiming that it had succeeded in developing a new type of missile that is more difficult to detect and kill than regular ballistic missiles.
Secretary-General Shin analyzed that since this missile uses a mid-range first-stage propellant with a range of about 3,000 km, it is evaluated as a mid-range missile to break through Guam's ballistic missile defense system, and that it also has the characteristics of a weapon aimed at the United States.
Previously, Kim Yo-jung, the head of the Workers' Party's General Affairs Department, disclosed the missile launch training on the day of the ballistic missile launch and claimed that the Korean and Japanese military authorities failed to track it due to technological superiority.
