North Korea has said it is building an operational ballistic missile submarine. (Representative)
Seoul:
Nuclear-armed North Korea tested two strategic cruise missiles from a submarine on Sunday, state news agency KCNA said on Monday as US-South Korea military exercises were about to begin.
“Strategic” is generally used to describe weapons that have nuclear capabilities.
KCNA said the launch confirmed the system’s reliability and tested the underwater offensive operations of submarine units that form part of North Korea’s nuclear deterrent.
South Korea’s Joint Chiefs of Staff said the military was on high alert and the country’s intelligence agency was working with its US counterpart to analyze the specifics of the launch.
On Monday, South Korean and US troops were set to begin an 11-day joint exercise, dubbed “Freedom Shield 23”, which will be conducted on a scale not seen since 2017.
The exercise will strengthen the allies’ joint defensive posture, both armies have said, and will feature field exercises including amphibious landings.
North Korea has long held grudges against conducting exercises as a rehearsal for an invasion. It has conducted a record number of missile tests and exercises over the past year in what it said is an effort to boost its nuclear deterrent and make more weapons fully operational.
KCNA said, “The US imperialist and South Korean puppet forces are forever being unpunished in their anti-DPRK military maneuvers.”
DPRK stands for North Korea, officially the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea.
KCNA said the strategic cruise missiles were fired from the submarine “8.24 Yongung” in waters near Korea’s east coast early Sunday.
The KCNA report said the missiles traveled a distance of about 1,500 kilometers (932 mi) before hitting targets in the sea.
North Korea has a large submarine fleet but the 8.24 Yongung (24 August Hero) is its only known experimental ballistic missile submarine. Analysts say it plays a key role in missile development, submarine technology and operational procedures as well as training for new submariners.
North Korea has said it is building an operational ballistic missile submarine.
While overseeing a short-range ballistic missile (SRBM) launching exercise on Thursday, North Korean leader Kim Jong Un ordered the military to intensify the exercise to prevent and respond to a “real war” if necessary.
State media on Sunday reported Mr Kim called a meeting of the ruling party to discuss and decide on “important, practical measures” to boost the country’s war prevention amid moves by the United States and South Korea. led. The report did not provide details about the measures.
(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)
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