Seoul [South Korea]: North Korea has launched strategic cruise missiles into waters off its west coast, demonstrating its nuclear deterrence capabilities, according to local media reports. North Korean leader Kim Jong-un has urged for thorough war preparedness, emphasizing the readiness of the country’s nuclear forces for potential use.
Kim oversaw the missile launch, stating the necessity of defending North Korea’s sovereignty with a “reliable nuclear shield”, Seoul’s Yonhap News Agency cited North Korea’s Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) as reporting.
South Korea Confirms Missile Launch
South Korea’s military confirmed the missile test, stating that it detected multiple cruise missile launches toward the Yellow Sea around 8 AM on Wednesday. The South Korean and US intelligence authorities are currently analyzing the missile trajectory and potential threats, Yonhap reported.
According to KCNA, the missile test aimed to showcase the Korean army’s counterattack capability, as well as the preparedness of its nuclear forces.
“What is guaranteed by powerful striking ability is the most perfect deterrence and defense capacity,” Kim stated. He stressed the need for “more thorough battle readiness” of North Korea’s nuclear forces and their immediate operational capability.
The missiles reportedly hit targets precisely after flying in an oval trajectory of 1,587 km over a flight duration of 7,961-7,973 seconds, according to KCNA.
Rising Tensions Ahead of US-South Korea Military Drills
The missile launch comes just ahead of ‘Freedom Shield’, a joint military exercise between South Korea and the United States, set to commence in March.
Earlier this month, Kim Jong-un blamed the US, Japan, and South Korea for escalating regional tensions, claiming that their growing military cooperation was destabilizing North Korea’s security environment.
The deployment of US nuclear strategic assets in the Korean Peninsula, coupled with US-led nuclear war simulation exercises and trilateral military cooperation, is “inviting military imbalance” and fostering “a new conflicting structure” in Northeast Asia, Kim warned during a visit to North Korea’s Ministry of National Defence.
Meanwhile, Washington has reaffirmed its stance on seeking the “complete denuclearization of North Korea”, while Pyongyang has maintained that its nuclear arsenal is not a bargaining chip but rather a combat-ready deterrent against perceived threats from its adversaries.