South Korea successfully tests its first domestically developed hypersonic weapon

On October 8, South Korea successfully carried out a flight test of its first domestically developed hypersonic glide vehicle, which President Lee Jae-myung personally monitored. According to the presidential office, the system, which is still under development, completed its planned flight path and precisely struck the designated target. After the test, the president asked researchers to speed up development and deployment.

The hypersonic glide vehicle — known by the English abbreviation HGV — is carried into the upper layers of the atmosphere by a booster rocket, then separates from it and continues at a lower altitude at extremely high speed. The hypersonic range means at least five times the speed of sound, and besides its speed, the system's military significance lies in its ability to change course during flight, making it harder to track and intercept. The current test primarily examined materials resistant to extremely high temperatures, guidance and control systems, and maneuvers carried out at lower altitude. According to the presidential office's report, the vehicle separated from the booster rocket at the prescribed altitude, then carried out vertical and horizontal course changes before reaching its target.

Seoul aims to build a new deterrent capability that would allow it, if necessary, to deliver a sudden, precise strike against key targets on the Korean Peninsula's theater of operations. Praising the researchers' work, Lee stressed that the country must also strengthen its security with its own capabilities, and he promised government support for the development of advanced weapons, while also urging further work so that the device becomes a reliable strategic capability. The South Korean test took place just days after North Korea also reported testing a medium-range hypersonic missile, overseen by Kim Jong-un. The two developments thus mark another milestone in the peninsula's arms race, while in South Korea's case the current success is still part of the development program, and the announcement did not give a timeline for deployment.

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