Story perspectives

North Korea tests Hwasongpho-11Ma-1 hypersonic missile Sept. 20

By Drooid · Sep 24, 2026, 10:10 AM UTC · How we work

Summary

Story summary

Kim Jong Un oversaw a September 20 test of the Hwasongpho-11Ma-1 hypersonic short-range ballistic missile.
State media called the launch “ultra-modern defense technology” of “great significance.”
South Korea’s Joint Chiefs reported two missiles flew 440 km and 600 km, landing outside Japan’s EEZ.
South Korea officials cautioned that North Korea telemetry, showing 2,146 m/s speed and 35.8 km altitude, may be exaggerated.

Summary

North Korea Supplies Missiles

South Korea’s Defense Intelligence Agency estimates North Korea supplied roughly 250 KN-23 missiles to Moscow.
Ukrainian officials linked the August 11 Zaporizhstal steel-mill strike to North Korea-origin KN-23 missiles.
The United States scaled back joint drills with South Korea in August to revive talks with Kim.
Analysts note the Hwasong-11Ma family matches the KN-23 missiles Russia has used in Ukraine since late 2023.

History

Historical Context

In 1998 North Korea launched the Taepodong-1 ballistic missile, sending a 2,500-km-range projectile over the Pacific and prompting international condemnation. The United Nations Security Council responded with Resolution 1135, imposing sanctions on 13 North Korean entities and freezing $5 billion in assets. Today, Kim Jong Un’s September 20 Hwasongpho-11Ma-1 test and the estimated supply of 250 KN-23 missiles to Moscow mirror the export-driven escalation after the 1998 launch. The pattern suggests that renewed missile development will likely intensify U.S.–South Korea security talks and drive further UN sanctions against Pyongyang.

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Story summary

Kim Jong Un oversaw a September 20 test of the Hwasongpho-11Ma-1 hypersonic short-range ballistic missile.
State media called the launch “ultra-modern defense technology” of “great significance.”
South Korea’s Joint Chiefs reported two missiles flew 440 km and 600 km, landing outside Japan’s EEZ.
South Korea officials cautioned that North Korea telemetry, showing 2,146 m/s speed and 35.8 km altitude, may be exaggerated.

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