North Korea tests hypersonic missile aimed at Pacific targets

North Korea announced it tested a new hypersonic intermediate-range missile aimed at targets in the Pacific. This follows a recent missile launch detected by South Korea, which traveled 685 miles before landing in the sea. The missile reportedly reached speeds of 12 times the speed of sound and hit a sea target after flying 932 miles. South Korea's military expressed skepticism about North Korea's claims regarding the missile's capabilities and distance. U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken condemned the launch during his visit to Seoul, stating it violated U.N. resolutions. He also highlighted concerns about North Korea's growing military cooperation with Russia amid the ongoing war in Ukraine.