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N Korea at crossroads

Seoul rejects North Korea's 'hypersonic missile' claim

South Korean defense ministry thinks conventional ballistic missile was fired

North Korea claims it fired a hypersonic missile Jan. 5, shown in this photo released by the country's Korean Central News Agency.   © Kyodo

SEOUL -- South Korea's defense ministry on Friday dismissed North Korea's claim that it tested a hypersonic missile, saying instead that the regime likely fired a conventional ballistic missile this week.

North Korean state media reported that a hypersonic missile launched Wednesday "precisely hit" a target 700 km away. The missile also made a "120-km lateral movement" during the flight, the report said, demonstrating the capabilities of the gliding warhead.

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