North Korea tests new KN-23 variants; analysts link them to evading Patriot air defenses

Why it matters

The tests point to active North Korean efforts to upgrade the KN-23 so it can defeat Western air defenses such as Patriot. Because North Korean KN-23 and KN-24 missiles have already been used in Russian strikes on Ukraine — with debris documented in Kharkiv in January 2024 — any improvement to their ability to evade interception has direct consequences for Ukrainian air defense. The 2024 finding that North Korea obtained KN-23 materials and documentation from Russia underscores the North Korea–Russia military cooperation that is feeding weapons into the war in Ukraine.

What happened

On September 20, North Korea conducted new tests of KN-23-type ballistic missiles. The first missile was launched to a range of 440 km and reached an altitude of 60 km; the second was launched to a range of 590 km and reached an altitude of 70 km. Defense Express published its analysis of the tests on Tuesday, September 22.

Compared with previous KN-23 tests, which typically reached ranges up to 690 km with maximum altitudes up to 60 km, the September 20 launches show a shift toward higher flight altitudes within a shorter range. An unknown variant tested the previous month reached 690 km and 90 km altitude. Analysts suggest the experiments with KN-23 launch altitudes are aimed at enabling the base version of the missile to more effectively evade Patriot air defense systems. Janes suggested the September 20 tests may have involved a new KN-23 variant with a possibly improved flight trajectory or changes to the warhead.

The tests come against a backdrop of documented Russian use of North Korean missiles against Ukraine. In April 2026, Ukraine's Ministry of Defense reported that KN-23 and KN-24 missiles used by Russian forces for strikes on Ukraine are a refined version of the first prototypes of the Russian Iskander. A 2024 study found that North Korea obtained the materials and documentation for producing KN-23 missiles from Russia. North Korean missiles use less energetic fuel, and their engines are approximately 1.5 times larger and longer than Russian analogues. Ministry of Defense specialists have stated that the quality and soldering methods of components in the missiles lag roughly 50 years behind modern standards, and that civilian-grade components were found in the missiles, likely purchased by the Kim Jong Un regime in circumvention of sanctions.

How Ukrainian sources describe it

The two supplied sources are Ukrainian-language outlets, and they frame the story through the lens of the war in Ukraine. Defense Express focuses on the technical parameters of the September 20 tests and explicitly connects the missiles to Russian strikes on Ukraine and to Russian-origin documentation and design lineage for the KN-23. The framing treats the missiles as a direct, ongoing threat relevant to Ukrainian air defense and to attacks using North Korean weapons supplied to Russia.

Background

Previous KN-23 tests by Pyongyang were typically conducted at ranges up to 690 km with maximum altitudes up to 60 km; an unknown variant tested the previous month reached 690 km and 90 km altitude, establishing the pattern of altitude experimentation that the September 20 tests continue. In April 2026, Ukraine's Ministry of Defense reported that KN-23 and KN-24 missiles used by Russia are a refined version of the first prototypes of the Russian Iskander, and Ministry of Defense specialists have described the missiles as using less energetic fuel, with engines roughly 1.5 times larger and longer than Russian analogues. The specialists also stated that component quality and soldering methods lag modern standards by about 50 years and that civilian-grade parts were found in the missiles, likely procured in circumvention of sanctions. A 2024 study found that North Korea obtained the materials and documentation for producing KN-23 missiles from Russia, underscoring the military cooperation behind the program. Debris from a North Korean missile fell in Kharkiv on January 6, 2024, confirming prior combat use against Ukraine.