North Korean state media showed photos of Kim Jong Un near missiles.

North Korean leader Kim Jong Un oversaw the test of a new ballistic missile designed to deploy a hypersonic glide vehicle capable of carrying nuclear warheads, calling the test an “epoch-making success,” according to North Korean state media.

Kim Jong Un’s propaganda agency on Wednesday praised the missile launched a day earlier, calling it a medium-range missile, meaning it could hit U.S. military bases in the region. It also claims it is solid fuel, meaning it can be deployed and launched quickly.

It remains to be seen whether North Korea has actually developed a practical hypersonic glide vehicle. These weapons are designed to deploy a reentry vehicle carrying a nuclear warhead that can change its flight path at high speeds, making it difficult for interceptors to shoot them down.

North Korean state media showed photos of Kim Jong Un approaching the missile, known as the Hwasong-16B, and the rocket flying in the air before launch. The official Korean Central News Agency reported that Kim “with his unshakable will and inexhaustible energy has personally blazed a path that no one has ever taken before by continuously developing and perfecting ultra-modern weapons.”

“This weapon needs to be highly responsive because it is one of the first weapons used in a conflict, which is why North Korea is so excited about its adoption of solid fuel,” said the James Martin Center for Nonproliferation Studies, using North Korea’s official name to call it.

Hwasong-16B. pic.twitter.com/FCHQBmDhdO

— Ankit Panda (@nktpnd) April 2, 2024

The missile launched Tuesday traveled about 600 kilometers (375 miles) and appeared to be related to a new engine for a hypersonic missile system North Korea tested about a month ago, according to South Korea’s Joint Chiefs of Staff.

North Korea is accustomed to provocations during South Korean elections, and the launch came ahead of the April 10 vote to elect a new parliament. Kim Jong Un’s regime is angry at the government of current conservative President Yoon Suk Yeol, who has taken a tough stance against Pyongyang, and the latest launches serve as a reminder of the security threat posed by North Korea.

North Korea last tested an intermediate-range ballistic missile in January. The missiles can fly far enough to hit all of Japan, where the United States has tens of thousands of troops stationed. It can also reach U.S. military installations on Guam, which the Pentagon says hosts one of the largest U.S. arsenals in the world.

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