- North Korean state media reported on Wednesday that a new hypersonic solid-fuel intermediate-range ballistic missile (IRBM), the Hwasong-16B, was successfully tested. NK News
- Launched off its east coast on Tuesday, the projectile landed in the waters between Pyongyang and Japan after flying 372 miles (598 km), according to the South Korean military. New York Times (LR: 2 CP: 5)
- While this flight performance is inferior to the 621 miles (999 km) that North's official media reported, Seoul conceded that Pyongyang has improved its technologies. It's unclear, however, whether the warheads can survive atmospheric re-entry. FOX News (LR: 4 CP: 4)
- North Korea's Kim Jong Un is said to have supervised the test and he declared the new missile a key piece of his nuclear deterrent against "enemies," including the US, South Korea, and Japan. Associated Press (LR: 3 CP: 5)
- Pyongyang said in January that it tested a hypersonic IRBM, which reportedly can target Guam and potentially Alaska. Hypersonic weapons are designed to exceed five times the speed of sound and be maneuvered in flight. Al Jazeera (LR: 2 CP: 1)
- The race to develop hypersonic weapons — which includes many Asian nations — is concerning because these missiles would be able to avoid missile shields and early-warning systems, reducing countries' reaction time in the face of an attack. Independent (LR: 2 CP: 3)
Pro-North Korea narrative:
- Though Kim may seem like an irrational actor, he's simply using the only leverage he has in dealing with South Korea and the US. His nuclear ambitions are designed to seek political gains and sanctions relief after successive American administrations derailed diplomatic routes to denuclearization.
ANTIWAR (LR: 5 CP: 1)
Anti-North Korea Narrative:
- Although analysis of this missile test is ongoing, Pyongyang's actions must be condemned and North Korea must pay a price for continuing to advance its missile technology. If the North is hoping to impact South Korea's upcoming elections, it's probably out of luck because this launch wasn't that impressive.
THE JAPAN TIMES
Nerd narrative:
- There's a 20% chance that there will be war between North Korea and South Korea before January 2040, according to the Metaculus prediction community.
METACULUS (LR: 3 CP: 3)