North Korea test-fired two long-range cruise missiles on Sunday, state media reported Monday, describing the exercise as a demonstration of “combat readiness” against foreign threats.
The drill, staged over the Yellow Sea to the west of the Korean Peninsula, was overseen by leader Kim Jong Un, who called for “unlimited and sustained” development of North Korea’s nuclear forces, according to the state-run Korean Central News Agency (KCNA).
The test aimed to assess the “counter-offensive response posture and combat capability of long-range missile sub-units,” KCNA said. The missiles reportedly flew for more than two hours, with state media releasing photos showing the missiles being launched and hitting targets.
Seoul’s Joint Chiefs of Staff confirmed the missiles were fired at 8:00 a.m. local time (2300 GMT Saturday) from the Sunan area near Pyongyang.
Kim emphasized that Pyongyang would continue to devote resources to expanding its nuclear combat capabilities. The launch follows a series of North Korean military displays, including a ballistic missile test in early November and a public unveiling of an 8,700-tonne nuclear-capable submarine last week. KCNA shared images of Kim inspecting the submarine alongside officials and his daughter, Kim Ju Ae.
Pyongyang has condemned South Korea’s nuclear-powered submarine program as an “offensive act” that violates its security and maritime sovereignty. North Korea also criticized the recent docking of the US Navy’s nuclear-powered attack submarine USS Greenville in Busan.
Analysts say the cruise missile tests are intended to counter these developments. Yang Moo-jin, former president of the University of North Korean Studies in Seoul, told AFP that the missiles, with an estimated range of 2,000 kilometres, could strike the entire Korean Peninsula as well as US military bases in Japan.
