Source: Al Jazeera [Qatari state media]
“North Korea might have launched a hypersonic missile, South Korea has said, as intelligence agencies investigated a ballistic missile test that failed early on Wednesday. South Korea’s Joint Chiefs of Staff (JCS) said the test took place at about 5.30am (20:30 GMT on Tuesday) and originated from the area around Pyongyang. … A JCS official later told reporters on condition of anonymity that the military was considering the possibility that the weapon was a hypersonic missile, noting that it exploded in midair over waters off North Korea’s east coast. The official told the Yonhap news agency that there appeared to be more smoke than during previous launches, raising the possibility of combustion issues. It also appeared to be a solid-fuelled missile, the official added.” (06/26/24)