One of the North Korean cruise missiles launched from a (French) submarine
North Korean leader Kim Jong Un oversaw the launch of strategic cruise missiles from a submarine, in another step to build a navy with nuclear capabilities.
The official news agency said on Monday that Kim, accompanied by other officials, yesterday supervised the launch of “Pulhoasal-3-31” missiles over the East Sea, noting that the missiles flew for about two hours before hitting an island that had been previously identified as a target.
The agency added that the second test of its kind within a week had no impact on the security of neighboring countries and was not related to the regional situation, in reference to tensions on the Korean Peninsula.
According to the agency, Kim Jong Un expressed his great satisfaction with the launch, which took place amidst snowfall.
For its part, the South Korean army said that it had detected the launch of cruise missiles near the waters surrounding the Sinpo area in North Korea.
Last Wednesday, Pyongyang announced that it had tested for the first time the “Pulhoasal-3-31” missile, which is a new generation of strategic cruise missiles, and said that it could carry a nuclear warhead, but it did not indicate at the time that it had been developed to be launched by submarines.
Cruise missiles have jet propulsion and fly at a lower altitude than more advanced ballistic missiles, making them more difficult to detect and intercept.
The cruise missile test comes as tension increases on the Korean Peninsula, prompting North Korea and its southern neighbor to reinforce their forces on the border. The North Korean leader has repeatedly stressed his determination to develop his country's nuclear capabilities, and threatened to respond in kind to any nuclear strike.
Source: Agencies