N. KOREA EXPLAINS RECENT MISSILE

[Anchor Lead]

North Korea says its latest missile is a new hypersonic missile powered by liquid fuel. South Korea's military believes the projectile is still in a nascent stage of development and does not live up to Pyongyang's claims. But one thing is clear: the North is trying hard to penetrate South Korea's defense system.

[Pkg]

North Korea says it has test-fired a hypersonic missile dubbed the Hwaseong-8. It has a sharp aerial vehicle in the warhead and it is similar to the Chinese hypersonic glide vehicle Dong-Feng 17. A hypersonic aerial vehicle is separated from a rocket at high altitude and flies like a glider. And thus, intercepting it is deemed difficult. It travels at high speed and has the ability to change course.

[Soundbite] (Korean Central TV) : "The hypersonic missile development project is one of the five strategic weapons projects designated at the 8th Workers' Party convention in a five-year national defense and weapons development plan."

North Korea claims it has verified the steerability of the missile, the technological indices of the separated hypersonic aerial vehicle and the safety of the sealed liquid fuel ampoule, which has been introduced for the first time ever. Liquid fuel is infused right before the launch and takes time to prepare, which makes it easy to detect in advance. But Pyongyang has apparently figured out how to conceal it.

[Soundbite] Shin Jong-woo(Korea Defense and Security Forum) : "The use of a fuel ampoule allows to cut preparation time of ballistic rockets powered by liquid fuel and attack before being intercepted when detected."

South Korean and U.S. militaries say the speed of the North Korean missile is only three times the speed of sound, whereas hypersonic speed is at least five times higher. The Joint Chiefs of Staff says the combined ROK-U.S. forces have enough capabilities to detect and intercept this missile, which is presumed to be in a nascent stage of development. Pyongyang justified the latest missile firing by saying it needs to amp up its own defense capabilities. However concerns are rising that the North is using missiles, originally a transportation means, as nuclear weapons. U.S. representative for North Korea Sung Kim said Pyongyang's missile launch poses a threat to neighboring nations and in violation of U.N. resolutions. Germany and France are urging the North to abide by international laws and respond to Seoul and Washington's propositions to have a dialogue.