North Korean missile: Pyongyang claims 908 km, Seoul measures 600

Photographs released by the official KCNA agency show a projectile equipped with a gliding vehicle, a configuration that Pyongyang has already presented as hypersonic. This type of payload can maneuver in flight, complicating interception, but the exact capabilities of the North Korean system have not been independently verified.

The first missile was launched from the Wonsan region and traveled nearly 450 kilometers, according to the South Korean Joint Chiefs of Staff. The second, fired about three hours later, exceeded 600 kilometers. Japan reported that the projectiles fell into the sea, outside its exclusive economic zone.

On the screen presented to Kim Jong-un, North Korean data also indicated a speed of 2,146 meters per second and an altitude of 35.8 kilometers. Seoul warned that the performance claimed by Pyongyang could not be considered entirely reliable, as the displayed range significantly exceeded its own measurements.

Kim Jong-un, accompanied by his daughter Kim Ju-ae during the test, hailed it as a significant milestone in the country’s military preparedness. He asserted that this advancement would impose lasting pressure on adversaries and deliver a difficult blow to avoid, according to KCNA.

The test comes as Washington and Seoul attempt to reopen a diplomatic channel. Donald Trump recently scaled back some joint exercises with South Korea, while Seoul has proposed easing sanctions if Pyongyang freezes its nuclear program. However, North Korea demands an end to what it describes as hostile U.S. policy and rejects any imposed denuclearization as a prerequisite for discussions.

The foreign ministers of South Korea, Japan, and the United States met on Monday in New York, on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly. They agreed to maintain close coordination on security and denuclearization on the Korean Peninsula.