Seoul, Jan 26 North Korea has test-fired sea-to-surface strategic cruise guided missiles, the North's state media reported Sunday, in the first missile launch since US President Donald Trump took office last week.
The North's Missile Administration conducted the test-fire the previous day as "part of plans for building the national defense capabilities to raise the effectiveness of strategic control against potential enemies," Yonhap news agency reported quoting the Korean Central News Agency (KCNA).
The missiles precisely hit the targets after traveling the 1,500 kilometre-long elliptical and eight-shaped flight orbits for 7,507 to 7,511 seconds, the report said, adding that launch had no negative impact on the security of neighbouring countries.
Overseeing the launch, leader Kim Jong-un noted that "The war deterrence means of the armed forces of the DPRK are being perfected more thoroughly," the KCNA said. DPRK stands for the country's official name, the Democratic People's Republic of Korea.
Kim also affirmed that "DPRK will always make strenuous efforts in a responsible manner to perform its important mission and duty for defending sustainable and lasting peace and stability on the basis of more powerfully developed military muscle in the future."
South Korea's military confirmed the North's missile firing, noting that it detected the launches of multiple cruise missiles from an inland area in North Korea toward the Yellow Sea at about 4 p.m. Saturday.
"Detailed specifications are currently being closely analyzed by the intelligence authorities of South Korea and the United States," the Joint Chiefs of Staff said in a text message sent to reporters.
Based on the images released by the KCNA, the missiles appear to have been fired using the cold launch method, which is typically associated with submarine and ship-based vertical launching systems.
People Power Party Rep. Yu Yong-weon, a member of the parliamentary defence committee, said the latest test-firing appears to be part of the North's efforts to strengthen its tactical nuclear strike capabilities by equipping its new warships and submarines with such missiles.
The inland launch location, however, could indicate the missiles are in an early stage of development.
In January last year, North Korea test-fired new submarine-launched strategic cruise missiles, named "Pulhwasal-3-31," over two instances, raising questions as to whether the latest missiles could be an improved version of last year's missile.
The North claimed at the time that two of the Pulhwasal-3-31s flew 7,421 and 7,445 seconds, respectively, before hitting an island target.
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