The South Korean military on Wednesday confirmed that North Korea has developed a hypersonic missile. 

In a statement, the Joint Chiefs of Staff(JCS) said that, after analyzing the detected speed and other features, the missile appears to be at an early stage of development, which requires considerable time before actual deployment. 

While hypersonic missiles usually fly at a speed of at least Mach 5, or six-thousand-125 kilometers per hour, the North's missile traveled at Mach 3, as detected by intelligence officials in South Korea and the U.S.

The JCS said the missile currently can be intercepted by the allies' military assets, adding that they will continue to monitor further development and maintain readiness.

Should North Korea succeed in further development, however, the missile will likely become difficult to intercept as it will be capable of striking targets from longer ranges within a shorter period of time.

[Photo : YONHAP News]