North Korea said Tuesday that its latest launches of sea‑to‑surface cruise missiles were a success. The Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) explained that the weapons stayed airborne for more than two hours before hitting targets in the country’s western waters. Officials claim the test expands the area where the armed forces can operate and helps strengthen the country’s nuclear‑armed deterrent.
South Korea’s Joint Chiefs of Staff tracked the launch and confirmed the missiles were fired from the northwestern part of the peninsula around 3 p.m. on Tuesday. Seoul and U.S. forces are studying the new weapons and preparing a combined response that could be “dominant” if North Korea escalates. The report came just hours before President Donald Trump was set to arrive in Seoul for a summit with South Korean President Lee Jae‑myung in Gyeongju, where Asia‑Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) meetings are being hosted.
The KCNA footage shows senior military officer Pak Jong Chon overseeing the test, while sailors trained on North Korea’s newly built destroyers, Choe Hyon and Kang Kon, watch. Leader Kim Jong Un has called the ships key assets for the navy’s growing strength.
North Korea’s latest cruise‑missile tests follow last week’s short‑range ballistic missile launches that the regime says feature a hypersonic system aimed at reinforcing its nuclear deterrence. The regime has long denied the need for diplomacy with the United States and South Korea, especially after Kim’s failed talks with former President Trump in 2019.
Trump has expressed an interest in meeting Kim during his stay in South Korea and also has a scheduled summit with Chinese President Xi Jinping. However, Seoul officials say a meeting between Trump and Kim is unlikely, as the North remains a staunch opponent of the U.S. military alliance.
For Kim, the focus has shifted to Russia. In recent months, the North has shipped thousands of troops and massive quantities of weapons to support President Vladimir Putin’s war in Ukraine, positioning itself as a new front in a perceived Cold War against the U.S. and its allies. Last month, Kim reiterated that he would not resume talks with Washington unless the U.S. drops its insistence on denuclearization.
The day’s missile test highlights North Korea’s continued push to broaden its military reach while the U.S. and South Korea prepare for high‑level talks in the wake of President Trump’s visit. The region watches closely, as new weapons and diplomatic moves reshape the security balance on the Korean peninsula.
Source: New York Post
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