North Korea fires hypersonic missile test ahead of US-China summit, analysts say

Pyongyang typically holds such tests ahead of major global diplomatic and military events to maximise attention and leverage

North Korea could be using missile tests to take its denuclearisation off the US-China summit agenda and drive home its demands for recognition as a nuclear power as a prerequisite for talks with Washington, according to analysts.

On Sunday, North Korea fired two short-range ballistic missiles towards the Sea of Japan, or East Sea, which, according to South Korea’s joint chiefs of staff, were detected three hours apart, with the first flying about 450km (280 miles), while the second travelled more than 600km.

The missile launches were confirmed by North Korean media on Tuesday as the test of a new type of its hypersonic missile and observed by North Korean leader Kim Jong-un.

Sunday’s tests came eight days after North Korea fired a mix of multiple short-range ballistic missiles, attack drones, tactical cruise missiles and large-calibre multiple rocket launchers on September 12 – a day after the Freedom Edge military drill between the US, South Korea and Japan ended.