PYONGYANG, Sep 29 (Asia Free Press): North Korea defence officials on Wednesday confirmed the test of a newly developed “hypersonic missile”.
In a statement, the country defence official said that Academy of Defence Science of the DPRK test-fired newly- developed hypersonic missile of “Hwasong-8” type in Toyang-ri, Ryongnim County, Jagang Province in the morning of September 28.
Pak Jong Chon, Member of the Presidium of the Political Bureau and Secretary of the Central Committee of the Workers’ Party of Korea, watched the test launch with leading officials in the field of defence science, according to the statement, published by state-run Korean Central News Agency.
“The development of hypersonic missile, one of the five top-priority tasks in the field of strategic weapon of the 5-year plan for development of defence science and weapon systems, has been promoted according to the successive, scientific and reliable development process,” its added.
In the first test-launch, the defence scientists confirmed the navigation control and stability of the missile in the active section and proved the technical indices such as the guided mobility and gliding flight character of the splitted hypersonic gliding flight warhead, the defence officials said.
“It also proved the stability of ampule missile fuel system and engine which have been introduced for the first time.”
On Tuesday, South Korea’s military said that North Korea fired a short-range missile into the sea off its east coast while Seoul and Washington intelligence “are analyzing the launch for additional information.”
Soon after the North Korea move, top security officials in Seoul met for an emergency meeting and “voiced regret” over Pyongyang’s move.
