North Korea says it tested a multiwarhead missile. Kim covets the weapon to overwhelm US defenses

North Korea says it successfully tested a multiwarhead missile, a sophisticated weapon coveted by leader Kim Jong Un to overwhelm missile defenses in the continental United States. The statement contradicted South Korea’s assessment of a failed launch. North Korea's state media said Thursday the launch tested the separation and guidance control of individual mobile warheads. It said they were guided correctly to their targets and a decoy that separated from the missile was verified by radar. It was North Korea’s first known launch event related to the development of a multiwarhead missile, though outside experts believe it was a preliminary test. South Korea had evaluated Wednesday's launch as a solid-fueled hypersonic missile that blew up over water.