Seoul tests hypersonic missile

South Korea flight-tested its first domestically developed hypersonic weapon on Thursday, designed to fly at least five times the speed of sound and evade missile defense systems.

How the test unfolded

The weapon separated from its booster rocket at planned altitude, then descended and maneuvered both vertically and horizontally before hitting a test target, according to a statement.

Lee attends test, stresses independence

South Korean President Lee Jae Myung attended the test and said it was a major step in strengthening the country's conventional defense capabilities. Lee stressed that South Korea must secure security through its own strength.

“must secure our security through our own strength”

North Korea tested missile days earlier

On October third, North Korea launched what it described as a hypersonic intermediate-range missile that it said flew more than one thousand kilometres. Japan said the missile landed in waters outside its exclusive economic zone.

Allies disagree on North's missile range

South Korea detected the missile flying more than seven hundred kilometres, while Japan assessed it flew about six hundred eighty kilometres. Kim Yo Jong claimed the differing estimates show the allies cannot properly track such missiles or intercept them.