Pyongyang launched cruise missiles over the waters northeast of Wonsan as part of a series of tests this year (French)
The South Korean military announced that North Korea fired several cruise missiles off its eastern coast on Wednesday morning, in a new series of weapons tests conducted by Pyongyang this year.
The South Korean Joint Chiefs of Staff stated - in a statement - that at approximately 09:00 this morning, several cruise missiles were detected over the waters located northeast of the city of Wonsan, indicating that the South Korean and American intelligence services are conducting a detailed analysis of this new missile test.
The South Korean staff also indicated that it will strengthen monitoring to follow up on any additional activities that the northern neighbor may undertake.
Earlier this week, Pyongyang announced the success of testing a new control system for the missile launcher, emphasizing the importance of its role on the battlefield.
In January, Pyongyang announced tests of an "undersea nuclear weapons system" in addition to a solid-fueled hypersonic ballistic missile, as part of a series of military tests it carried out last year.
Cruise missile tests are not subject to international sanctions imposed on North Korea, unlike ballistic missiles based on space technology.
Cruise missiles are characterized by jet propulsion technology and low altitude, which makes them difficult to detect and counter. Some analysts believe that Pyongyang is testing cruise missiles for export to Moscow, where the Russian military may use them in its war with Ukraine.
Seoul and Washington confirm that Pyongyang continues to send weapons to Moscow by bypassing UN sanctions, and may receive technical assistance in the field of space espionage as part of these deals.
Source: Agencies