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North Korea has test-fired two types of submarine-launched strategic cruise missiles, marking the latest weapons demonstration as tensions continue to rise on the Korean Peninsula.
The missiles were launched into the East Sea, also known as the Sea of Japan, on Wednesday, according to North Korea’s state-run Korean Central News Agency, KCNA. The agency said the test did not adversely affect the security of neighbouring countries.
KCNA said the exercise was designed to assess the operational readiness of North Korea’s underwater combat systems and improve the navy’s ability to carry out strategic missions. Images released by state media appeared to show missiles emerging from the sea at different angles before flying over the water.
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The latest test comes amid heightened tensions between North and South Korea following a September 21 landmine explosion in the Demilitarised Zone, or DMZ, which injured three South Korean soldiers. Seoul has said North Korean mines were strongly suspected of causing the explosions, an allegation Pyongyang has rejected.
Both countries have since showcased upgraded missile capabilities. South Korea conducted the first flight test of its domestically developed hypersonic weapon in October, while North Korea has also tested hypersonic and ballistic missile systems.
Submarine-launched missiles are considered strategically significant because they can be deployed from less predictable locations. Cruise missiles also generally fly at lower altitudes than ballistic missiles, potentially making them more difficult for missile-defence systems to detect and intercept.
North Korea has pursued submarine-based weapons for years, although independent assessments of the maturity and reliability of its sea-based launch capability remain limited.
The latest launch adds to a series of North Korean missile tests in October as military rivalry intensifies between the two Koreas. Seoul and Pyongyang remain technically at war because the 1950-53 Korean War ended with an armistice rather than a formal peace treaty.
