Missiles Travel 1,500km and Hit Targets Between 7,507 and 7,511 Seconds
PYONGYANG: North Korea conducted a strategic cruise missile test on Saturday, with the report released by state media KCNA on Sunday.
According to the report, North Korea’s leader Kim Jong Un oversaw the test, which was described as a test-fire of an “important weapon system.”
The underwater-to-surface strategic cruise missiles traveled 1,500 kilometers and flew between 7,507 and 7,511 seconds before hitting their targets, KCNA reported.
In a separate KCNA report, North Korea’s foreign ministry vowed the “toughest counteraction” against the United States as long as Washington “refuses” Pyongyang’s sovereignty.
The foreign ministry blamed the growing tensions in the region on the military alliance and joint drills between South Korea and the US.
This statement came as US President Donald Trump stated during an interview on Thursday that he would reach out to Kim again after the two had developed a working relationship during Trump’s first term.
Kim Jong Un stated that North Korea’s war deterrence means were being “perfected more thoroughly” and vowed to continue efforts to strengthen the military.
“Kim Jong Un affirmed that the DPRK will always make strenuous efforts […] 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,” the report quoted him as saying.
Later in the day, South Korea’s Joint Chiefs of Staff reported that North Korea had fired multiple cruise missiles from inland areas toward waters off the west coast at around 4pm (0700 GMT) on Saturday.
The report stated that the missile test was part of plans to build national defense capabilities against potential enemies in line with changing regional safety circumstances.
Earlier this month, North Korean state media also reported that Kim oversaw a successful test of a new intermediate-range hypersonic ballistic missile (IRBM).
