▲ A news report on North Korea's ballistic missile launch is aired on a television at Seoul Station in central Seoul on Jan. 14, 2024. (Yonhap)
▲ This photo, carried by North Korea's official Korean Central News Agency on Dec. 19, 2023, shows the North's firing of a solid-fuel Hwasong-18 intercontinental ballistic missile the previous day. (For Use Only in the Republic of Korea. No Redistribution) (Yonhap)
▲ This photo, carried by North Korea's official Korean Central News Agency on Jan. 15, 2024, shows the North's launch of a solid-fuel intermediate-range ballistic missile (IRBM) carrying a hypersonic warhead the previous day. (For Use Only in the Republic of Korea. No Redistribution) (Yonhap)

(LEAD) N Korea-missile launch

(LEAD) N. Korea claims to have successfully launched solid-fuel hypersonic IRBM

(ATTN: RECASTS headline, lead; UPDATES with more details throughout; CHANGES photo)

By Kim Soo-yeon

SEOUL, Jan. 15 (Yonhap) -- North Korea said Monday it successfully test-fired a solid-fuel intermediate-range ballistic missile (IRBM) carrying a hypersonic warhead the previous day as part of regular activities to develop powerful weapons systems.

The missile loaded with a hypersonic maneuverable controlled warhead was launched Sunday afternoon in a bid to verify the warhead's gliding and maneuvering capabilities and the reliability of newly-developed multi-stage high-thrust solid-fuel engines, according to the Korean Central News Agency (KCNA).

"The test-fire never affected the security of any neighboring country and had nothing to do with the regional situation," the KCNA said in an English-language dispatch.

South Korea's military said Sunday it detected the launch from an area in or around Pyongyang at about 2:55 p.m., and the missile flew approximately 1,000 kilometers before splashing into the sea.

It marked the North's first missile launch since the firing of a solid-fuel Hwasong-18 intercontinental ballistic missile on Dec. 18.

In an interview with Yonhap News Agency last week, South Korea's Defense Minister Shin Won-sik said North Korea could test-fire a new type of IRBM as early as this month after the repressive regime staged solid-fuel engine tests for a new IRBM in November.

Solid-fuel missiles are known to be harder to detect ahead of launch than liquid-fuel ones that require more preparations, such as fuel injection.

At a year-end party meeting, Kim urged stepped-up war readiness to deter what he called "unprecedented" acts of U.S.-led confrontation against his country.

Last week, the North's leader said he has no intention of avoiding war with South Korea and threatened to annihilate the South if Seoul attempts to use force against the North.

Experts said North Korea is expected to further raise tensions with provocative acts ahead of South Korea's parliamentary elections in April and the U.S. presidential election in November.

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