South Korea’s military on Friday publicly released a video showing a North Korean missile malfunctioning shortly after launch and exploding. This unusual move aimed to refute North Korea’s assertion of a successful test.
The footage, captured by a thermal observation device used by frontline South Korean units, depicts the projectile spiralling erratically before breaking apart.
The South Korean military concluded in a statement on Friday that the missile’s explosion was due to “flight instability,” dismissing North Korea’s claims of success as deliberate misinformation to mask the failure.
According to North Korean state media, Pyongyang claimed to have successfully conducted a significant test on Wednesday to develop missiles capable of carrying multiple warheads, which South Korea refuted.
North Korea’s missile authorities purportedly utilized the initial-stage engine of an intermediate-range ballistic missile with solid fuel to experiment with the separation and guidance of multiple warheads, as reported by North Korea’s KCNA news agency.
South Korea’s military disclosed that it had identified indications of missile launch preparations early on Wednesday and monitored the launch of the rocket as it occurred.
In April, Pyongyang announced the testing of a novel intermediate-range hypersonic missile powered by solid fuel, contributing to an escalating global competition for advanced long-range missiles that are difficult to detect and intercept.
Nancy Mbamalu
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