North Korea confirms hypersonic missile launch

North Korean leader Kim Jong Un gathered in a small cabin on Tuesday with other senior officials, including his sister Kim Yo Jong, to oversee the successful test of the hypersonic missile. The missile included a hypersonic glide vehicle and flew 434 miles before landing in waters off the North’s eastern coast. Tuesday marked the first time since last March that the North Korean leader attended a missile test.

Is North Korea gaining ground? South Korea’s Defense Ministry said the Tuesday launch was more advanced than an earlier test of the same missile on Jan. 5. Minutes after the Tuesday launch, airports across the western United States briefly halted flights. Hypersonic missiles travel five times the speed of sound and can maneuver mid-flight, making them more difficult to track. Kim praised the launch, saying the weapons play a significant part in the five-year plan he announced this month to bolster his country’s military force. But experts say it would take more longer-range tests before North Korea can acquire a credible hypersonic system.

Dig deeper: From the WORLD archives, read Angela Lu Fulton’s report on pastors and activists who launch balloons carrying information and Bibles into North Korea.