South Korea flight-tested its first domestically developed hypersonic weapon on Thursday, bringing Seoul closer to what it calls game-changing weapons capabilities. The weapon is designed to fly at least five times the speed of sound and evade missile defence systems.

President Lee Jae Myung attended the test. The weapon separated from its booster rocket at the planned altitude, then manoeuvred vertically and horizontally before hitting a test target. Lee also inspected the country’s most powerful Hyunmoo-5 ballistic missile the same day.

The development comes amid rising tensions on the peninsula. North Korea last week tested its own hypersonic missile that landed in waters near Japan. Three South Korean soldiers were also injured in landmine blasts near the border last month, which Seoul blames on Pyongyang.

Once developed, the weapon would be able to strike key targets by surprise in what Seoul calls the ‘Korean Peninsula theater of operations.’ Lee stressed that South Korea ‘must secure our security through our own strength.’