North Korea on Wednesday fired an unidentified projectile towards the sea, according to the South Korean army, two days after the announcement by Pyongyang of successful test fires of a new "long-range cruise missile".

The north, armed with nuclear weapons, "fired an unidentified projectile into the Sea of ​​Japan," said the Seoul Joint Chiefs of Staff.

No other details were initially communicated, in particular the type of device, the distance traveled and the possible existence of several projectiles.

This information comes two days after the announcement by the official North Korean agency KCNA of test firing of a new "long-range cruise missile" over the weekend, referring to "strategic weapons of great importance. ".

The official North Korean daily

Rodong Sinmun

published photos on Monday showing a missile exiting like a fireball from one of the five tubes of a launch vehicle as well as a missile making a horizontal flight.

A technological breakthrough for North Korea

These long-range cruise missiles, if confirmed to have them, would represent a technological breakthrough for North Korea, analysts said. They would thus be more difficult to intercept and would constitute a real threat for South Korea and Japan, two allies of the United States. The missiles fired over the weekend traveled 1,500 kilometers, on two-hour flight paths, tracing eight, over North Korea and its territorial waters to reach their targets, according to KCNA.

Several United Nations Security Council resolutions prohibit North Korea from continuing its nuclear weapons and ballistic missile programs.

But Pyongyang is not subject to a ban on developing cruise missiles.

But, although hit by multiple international sanctions, this country has rapidly developed its military capabilities in recent years under the leadership of Kim Jong Un. North Korea has carried out several nuclear tests and successfully tested ballistic missiles capable of reach the United States.

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