South Korea tests a hypersonic glide vehicle

South Korean President Lee Jae Myung attended Thursday’s test launch of a hypersonic glide vehicle (HGV), currently in the research and development stage based on domestic technologies. The test took place amid the intensification of North Korea’s hypersonic weapons program and deteriorating relations between the two states.

The hypersonic vehicle is propelled into the upper atmosphere by rockets, after which it glides toward its target at speeds at least five times faster than the speed of sound. South Korean authorities describe it as a strategic asset capable of striking important targets because of its speed and difficult-to-predict trajectory.

The test sought to verify the materials’ resistance to extreme temperatures, as well as to evaluate the guidance and control systems. The vehicle’s ability to fly at low altitudes and alter its trajectory during hypersonic flight was also examined.

Seoul’s move comes after Pyongyang announced the testing of a medium-range hypersonic missile, which it claimed uses artificial intelligence and can evade detection by South Korea and Japan. Tensions also increased after a North Korean mine exploded in the Demilitarized Zone, an incident the United Nations Command deemed a violation of the armistice.