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Lee underscores ‘self-reliant defense’ after successful launch of homegrown HGV

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The South Korean president attended the test launch of a domestically developed hypersonic glide vehicle

President Lee Jae Myung of South Korea observes the test launch of a homegrown hypersonic glide vehicle at the Agency for Defense Development on Oct. 8, 2026. (courtesy Blue House)

South Korea successfully conducted the first test launch of its domestically developed hypersonic glide vehicle (HGV) on Thursday.

After personally observing the launch at the Agency for Defense Development, Korean President Lee Jae Myung stressed that the country should “use its own power to safeguard national security.”

The move appears to be Lee’s response to North Korean leader Kim Jong-un’s supervision of a hypersonic missile launch drill on Oct. 3 and the North Korean mine explosion that injured three South Korean soldiers in the Demilitarized Zone (DMZ) last month.

In a written briefing that day, the Blue House’s chief spokesperson Kang Yu-jung stated that the HGV reached its target altitude before successfully separating and seamlessly executing its planned flight path under hypersonic conditions.

The Blue House only disclosed Lee’s attendance at the event after announcing the success of the launch.

Following his attendance, Lee posted on X.

“The missile launched toward the sky was full of South Korea’s determination to protect our country with our own technology and power. Self-reliant defense is not just a slogan — it must be proven through technology and capability,” he wrote.

HGVs are a type of missile that use boosters to accelerate and ascend into the upper atmosphere before separating from that booster to glide at lower altitudes.

“The success of this test launch marks a major milestone, as it signals that preparations are complete to secure a new deterrent capable of striking critical targets across the battlefield of the Korean Peninsula,” Kang said.

North and South Korea are locked in a race to develop HGVs. While the North has conducted eight HGV test launches since September 2021, South Korean military authorities believe that its technological prowess is lacking.

After being briefed on the successful test launch at the site, Lee called for the swift development and deployment of HGVs, saying his administration would “not be complacent and rest on our laurels” but continue refining the technology to make it a reliable strategic asset for national security.

President Lee Jae Myung of South Korea inspects the Hyunmoo-5 missile on Oct. 8, 2026. (courtesy Blue House)

According to Kang, Lee then inspected the South Korean military’s Hyunmoo-5, known for its massive destructive power, before saying, “Our military’s strong self-defense capabilities will protect the peace and stability of Korea.”

The HGV missile and Hyunmoo-5 are high-tech military assets that have remained undisclosed. Hypersonic missiles are thought to be game changers; they can fly at speeds above Mach 5 at low altitudes, allowing them to evade enemy radar and launch surprise precision strikes against key targets such as enemy command centers and military facilities.

The Hyunmoo-5 is an ultra-high-yield surface-to-surface ballistic missile designed to destroy underground bunkers housing North Korea’s leadership and military command facilities. With an 8-metric-ton warhead, it is dubbed the “monster missile.”

“The fact that South Korea, a latecomer to the hypersonic missile development race, successfully conducted its first test launch is extremely significant, which explains why the president was in attendance,” said Hong Min, a senior research fellow at the Korea Institute for National Unification.

“North Korea has also spent years pouring over the development of the same weapon. The president appears to be showing North Korea that we are prepared to respond with a deterrent against North Korea in light of the recent mine incident,” he said.

In related news, Gen. Jin Young-seung, the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, commented on the DMZ mine explosion incident during a parliamentary inspection of the Joint Chiefs on the same day.

“The South Korean military strongly condemns the illegal and brash behavior of the North Korean regime. It was impossible not to believe that this was not a provocation when my subordinates suffered severe injuries,” he said.

By Goh Gyoung-ju, staff reporter; Kwon Hyuk-chul, staff reporter; Jang Ye-ji, staff reporter

Please direct questions or comments to [english@hani.co.kr]

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Lee underscores ‘self-reliant defense’ after successful launch of homegrown HGV

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