North Korea says it conducted an intermediate-range strategic missile drill on October 3 and claimed the hypersonic weapon hit a target about 1,000 km away in the East Sea.
Kim Jong Un observed the launch
According to KCNA reporting carried by Yonhap, Kim Jong Un watched the drill, with Ri Sol Ju and his daughter Ju Ae also present. Pyongyang said it would continue verifying the reliability and lethality of its strategic weapons.
Performance claims still require outside analysis
Images released by North Korea appear to show a trajectory that rises again after descending, prompting discussion of a hypersonic glide vehicle ‘pull-up’ maneuver. The claimed 1,000 km target hit remains North Korea’s own assertion and should be separated from independent tracking assessments.
