Lee oversees South Korea’s first hypersonic missile test

South Korean President Lee Jae Myung oversaw the country’s first test-firing of a domestically developed hypersonic missile, the presidential office said in a statement on Thursday.

Seoul’s test of a hypersonic glide vehicle, a manoeuvrable weapon that can change course during flight, came days after North Korea said its leader Kim Jong Un had also overseen his own test of an intermediate-range, hypersonic missile.

“Today, the first test launch of a hypersonic missile we are developing with our own technology was a success. I am truly proud,” Lee wrote in a Facebook post.

Calling it progress in “self-reliant defence”, Lee said South Korea will “keep investing steadily in advanced defence technologies, including hypersonic propulsion, AI and high-powered lasers”.

The South Korean missile is a “strategic asset” for the country, the presidential office said, adding that it was capable of striking a target by surprise with its unpredictable flight paths and overwhelming speed.

After being briefed on the test, Lee called on missile researchers at a state-run institute to swiftly develop and deploy the missile, his office said.

Hypersonic weapons typically travel at more than five times the speed of sound, often at relatively low altitudes, with analysts noting their main feature as manoeuvrability to hit targets.