South Korea carried out the first test of its domestically developed hypersonic glide vehicle, with President Lee Jae Myung observing. The presidential office said the vehicle separated from its booster, changed course and hit its target. Those performance claims remain government accounts. The weapon is still under development, as tensions continue over North Korean weapons tests and disputed border mine explosions.
South Korea carried out the first test of its domestically developed hypersonic glide vehicle on October 8, with President Lee Jae Myung observing. South Korea’s presidential office announced the test while the weapon remains under development. A glide vehicle uses a booster to reach the upper atmosphere before separating and travelling at lower altitude.[1], [2]
Presidential spokesperson Kang Yu-jung said the test examined thermal protection materials, guidance and control, and irregular manoeuvres at low altitude. According to her account, the vehicle separated from its booster, changed course horizontally and vertically, and hit the target. Those flight-performance statements come from the government; independent measurements have not been published.[1]
Lee congratulated the development team and called for further refinement. Defense Minister Kang Shin-chul and defense procurement chief Lee Yong-cheol accompanied him. During the visit, Lee also inspected the Hyunmoo-5 surface-to-surface missile. The announcement did not say that operational deployment of the glide vehicle had been completed.[1]
North Korea did not immediately respond. Pyongyang had announced its own hypersonic missile test on October 3. Last month, three South Korean soldiers were injured in mine explosions near the border. Seoul and the US-led United Nations Command, the multinational command on the peninsula, concluded that North Korea planted the devices. Pyongyang denied responsibility.[1]
