Kim Jong Un Tests Hypersonic Missiles After US Seizes Maduro

Jan. 5, 2026, 1:01 AM UTC

North Korean leader Kim Jong Un oversaw the test of hypersonic missiles a day after the US seized Venezuelan leader Nicholas Maduro in an act that Pyongyang denounced as a “rogue and brutal” violation of international laws.

The missiles were fired on Sunday to verify the weapon system’s sustainability and effectiveness, official Korean Central News Agency reported Monday. The projectiles, launched from the Pyongyang area northeastward, hit targets 1,000 kilometers (620 miles) away, it said.

The missile launches also came as South Korea’s President Lee Jae Myung was prepared to meet with Chinese President Xi Jinping in Beijing later Monday. ...

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