EU сondemns North Korea's hypersonic missile launch, cites security concerns

The European Union has strongly condemned North Korea's test launch of a new hypersonic intermediate-range ballistic missile on January 6, warning that such actions violate international law and escalate tensions on the Korean Peninsula.

Anita Gipper, spokesperson for foreign policy at the European Commission, issued a statement denouncing the launch, which Pyongyang claimed was equipped with a hypersonic warhead, Caliber.Az reports via foreign media.

Gipper emphasized that the test violates multiple UN Security Council resolutions and undermines efforts toward peace and stability in the region.

"The EU stands in solidarity with its partners in the region, including the Republic of Korea and Japan, and calls on the DPRK to halt its illegal and provocative actions," the statement read. It also urged North Korea to engage in dialogue as the "only path to lasting peace and security on the Korean Peninsula."

The missile was reportedly launched from a site near Pyongyang and travelled approximately 1,500 kilometres at a speed 12 times the speed of sound. During its flight, the missile achieved two peak altitudes of 99.8 and 42.5 kilometers, following a predetermined trajectory before landing in open waters.

However, assessments from South Korea, Japan, and the United States estimated a shorter flight range of 1,100 kilometres and noted that the missile failed to reach its second peak altitude.

South Korean military officials have raised concerns that North Korea may have received technological assistance from Russia during the missile's development. This follows heightened scrutiny of Pyongyang's recent advancements in missile technology, particularly hypersonic capabilities.

North Korea has been pursuing hypersonic missile technology since September 2021, though early tests were reportedly unsuccessful. In April 2024, Pyongyang announced the successful test of a medium-range hypersonic missile, but South Korea dismissed the claims as exaggerated.

The latest test follows North Korea's October 2024 launch of an intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM), which marked the regime's longest test to date. That missile reached an altitude of 7,000 kilometres and covered a range of 1,000 kilometres over an 87-minute flight.

North Korea's missile program continues to draw international condemnation. The EU's latest rebuke underscores the growing urgency for a coordinated response to Pyongyang's military activities, which threaten regional and global security.

The EU, along with the United States, South Korea, and Japan, remains committed to seeking diplomatic solutions, though tensions remain high following Pyongyang's repeated provocations.

By Khagan Isayev