On January 4, 2026, North Korea conducted its first ballistic missile test of the year. Hypersonic missiles were fired from the Ryokpho district in Pyongyang, striking a target roughly 900 km away in the East Sea (Sea of Japan). North Korean President Kim Jong Un described the launch as an “important technological task for national defence”, citing heightened geopolitical instability and unfolding international developments.
The timing of the test was difficult to ignore. The test took place hours after the U.S. Special Operations forces captured the Venezuelan President, Nicolás Maduro, in Caracas and shortly before South Korean President Lee Jae Myung’s scheduled visit to Beijing for summit talks with President Xi Jinping. North Korea earlier denounced the U.S. attacks on Venezuela and the abduction of its President Nicolás Maduro, calling it “a serious encroachment of sovereignty.”
What was Technically Being Tested?
According to the Korean Central News Agency (KCNA), the drill was conducted as part of an operational evaluation regarding the suitability, effectiveness, and war deterrent capabilities. South Korean and Japanese tracking data confirmed multiple launches, with missiles travelling approximately 900 km, and reaching an altitude of 50,000 meters.
While analysts have suggested the involvement of the Hwasong-16B, a solid-fueled intermediate-range ballistic missile, Pyongyang did not specify the missile model. The Hwasong-16B was first tested by North Korea in April 2024 and again in January 2025. It is designed to deliver both conventional and nuclear warheads across intercontinental ranges, leveraging technological advancements from earlier models, including the Hwasong-15 and Hwasong-17. The missiles are intended for long-range nuclear deterrence and striking strategic infrastructure in fixed, moving and relocatable targets.
The transition from the earlier liquid-fueled Hwasong system to a solid-fuel system provides an operational advantage by reducing launch preparation time. The Hwasong-16B was flight-tested by North Korea in April 2024. It later test-fired two hypersonic missiles again in October 2025. In December 2025, North Korea’s State media released high-fidelity images of nuclear-powered ballistic missile submarines. North Korea has developed a series of Pukguksong-submarines launched ballistic missiles. Taken together, these developments reflect North Korea’s long-term defence trajectory laid out under the Byungjin policy. After achieving its objectives, North Korea has since then emphasised military modernisation across all domains- land, air, cyber, maritime and space.
What Message was North Korea Sending to the United States?
North Korea’s foreign minister denounced U.S. action on Venezuela as a “hegemony-seeking act,” accusing Washington of habitually violating the sovereignty of other countries. North Korea, therefore, wants to send a message that it is different from Venezuela in terms of nuclear and military power. The test is a reminder from Pyongyang of its hypersonic capabilities in the face of U.S. policies. Furthermore, the test also served as a sharp reminder that any attempt against the North Korean leadership would invite a retaliatory and potentially catastrophic strike.
What Message was North Korea Sending to China and South Korea?
For Beijing, the test conveyed a more nuanced signal by serving as a reminder of North Korea’s long-standing friendship with China ahead of the Sino-South Korea summit. China has remained North Korea’s important economic partner and acts as a political buffer against international sanctions targeting the DPRK. Any perceived shift in Chinese priorities towards Seoul is therefore likely to concern the North Korean leadership.
The South Korean President Lee Jae Myung’s visit to Beijing for summit talks with President Xi Jinping comes after a long pause in high-level exchanges between the countries, as both Seoul and Beijing seek a path towards normalisation. During the visit, South Korea and China signed 14 MOUs covering cooperation in trade, technology, environment, and other strategic areas. From Pyongyang’s vantage point, any intensification of ties between China and South Korea could hamper China’s role as a reliable partner willing to prioritise North Korean interests. At the same time, it conveyed a message that discussions on the Korean Peninsula cannot meaningfully proceed without the involvement of North Korea.
At the domestic level, observers say that North Korea wants to showcase its achievements in the weapons development sector ahead of the working party congress, the first of its kind in five years.
International Response
Countries like South Korea and Japan both reiterated that this missile launch violated the peace and security of the region. South Korea’s Ministry of National Defence stated that the launch of ballistic missiles violated the U.N. Security Council resolution that bans ballistic activities by North Korea. South Korea’s presidential office further confirmed that it convened an emergency security meeting and urged Pyongyang to cease what it described as “provocative acts” that violate United Nations Security Council resolutions. Japan’s Defence Minister, Shinjiro Koizumi, said that North Korea’s actions were affecting the peace and security of both the region and the international community, confirming its coordination about Pyongyang’s activities with Washington and Seoul. The U.S. Indo-Pacific Command, in a statement on X, stated that the launches did not pose an immediate threat to the US or its allies, while reaffirming Washington’s commitment to defending the US homeland and allies in the region.
China did not issue any official statement, but during its meetings with South Korean President Lee, it stated that it would work towards achieving peace on the Korean Peninsula. Taiwan, too, has not released any official statement condemning the event. However, Taiwan previously condemned North Korea’s missile launches for undermining regional peace and violating international norms. Other countries, including Russia, issued no official statement on the launch. Russia has, in fact, in recent years, gradually supported North Korea’s missile activities. In March 2024, Russia vetoed a resolution of the UN expert panel for monitoring the implementation of sanctions on the DPRK.
What Does This Mean Going Forward?
Taken together, North Korea’s latest missile test exemplified Pyongyang’s meticulous and calibrated deterrence exercises. While Washington, Seoul, and Tokyo issued statements condemning the test, others, such as China and Russia, demonstrated strategic restraint by remaining silent. At the same time, US actions in Venezuela further erode the efficacy of global sanctions by justifying North Korean claims of self-defence. Looking ahead, future testing or further escalations will probe these fault lines in regional and global security, testing the deterrence framework, alliance coordination, and the already weakened UN sanctions regime.