This may include adverts from us and 3rd parties based on our understanding. The rogue regime fired a hypersonic missile that successfully hit a target, according to reports. It is the second test of its kind and comes ahead of Kim's birthday on January 8. Secretary of State Antony Blinken said Washington is taking the new capability seriously and that Washington is condemning the move, which has put US officials on red alert.
The launch was the first by North Korea since October and detected by several militaries in the region, including the US. It is now believed to be a hypersonic rocket, which puts Pyongyang on level peggings with the likes of Russia and China who have recently tested similar technology. Hypersonic weapons usually fly towards targets at lower altitudes than ballistic missiles and can reach more than five times the speed of sound - or about 3,850 mph. The main feature of hypersonic weapons is not speed, which can sometimes be exceeded by traditional ballistic missile warheads, but their manoeuvrability, according to analysts.