North Korea
Kim Jong Un watches as North Korea fires cruise, anti-ship missiles from naval destroyer
North Korea has conducted test-firings of strategic cruise missiles and anti-ship missiles from its naval destroyer Choe Hyon, in an exercise closely observed by its supreme leader Kim Jong Un, according to state media.
North Korea conducted the launches of two strategic cruise missiles and three anti-warship missiles from the naval destroyer Sunday in its "operational efficiency test," according to the Korean Central News Agency (KCNA), reported South Korea's Yonhap News Agency.
North Korea had conducted similar strategic cruise missile tests from the 5,000-ton warship on two occasions ahead of its commissioning in March.
The test was observed by Kim. Pyongyang's reference to "strategic" weapons suggests that they could have nuclear capabilities, reported Yonhap.
During the latest test, Kim was quoted as saying by Yonhap: "The preparedness of our army's strategic action has been strengthened in a qualitative way with various achievements recently made in the field of defence science."
According to the KCNA report, during the latest test, the cruise missiles flew for 7,869-7,920 seconds and the anti-warship missiles for 1,960-1,973 seconds along the preset flight orbits above the Yellow Sea and hit targets with "ultra-precision hit accuracy".
Kim was reportedly briefed on a plan for the weapons systems of the destroyers No. 3 and No. 4 that are currently under construction.
Meanwhile, South Korean officials said they detected the flight of multiple cruise missiles launched from the Yellow Sea near the North's western coastal city of Nampho on Sunday.
"South Korea and the United States are closely monitoring the North's military movements under a robust combined defence posture and maintain the capability and posture to respond to any provocation in an overwhelming manner," the Joint Chiefs of Staff told Yonhap News Agency.
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