According to the state news agency, North Korea has announced the test of a new-generation cruise missile, known as the Pulhwasal-3-31. The missile is reported to still be in its development phase and is described as “strategic”, indicating a potential intention to arm it with nuclear weapons. It was not disclosed how many missiles were fired during the test.
The test is said to have no impact on the security of neighboring countries and is unrelated to the regional situation. South Korea’s Joint Chiefs of Staff detected the launch of “several” cruise missiles from North Korea’s western coast.
The launch is believed to be a test of upgrades to existing missile capabilities. North Korea previously conducted its first test of a strategic cruise missile in September 2021. Tensions on the Korean peninsula have been on the rise as North Korean leader Kim Jong Un continues to advance his weapons development program and make provocative threats of nuclear conflict with the United States and its allies in the region.
North Korea’s cruise missiles, which are jet-propelled and fly at lower altitudes, are more challenging to detect and intercept than ballistic missiles. They are part of an expanding arsenal aimed at overwhelming missile defenses in South Korea and Japan. North Korea claims these cruise missiles are nuclear-capable and have a range of up to 2,000 kilometers (1,242 miles), which would include US military bases in Japan.
Cruise missile tests are not prohibited under United Nations sanctions imposed over North Korea’s nuclear program. The latest launch coincided with a drill by South Korean special forces off the country’s east coast, which is scheduled to conclude on Thursday. The drill’s commander stated, “We will achieve our mission to infiltrate deep into the enemy’s territory and neutralize them completely under any circumstances.”