North Korean leader Kim Jong Un reportedly supervised the trial launch of submarine-launched cruise missiles and examined plans for constructing a nuclear-powered submarine on Sunday, according to state media cited by South Korea's Yonhap News Agency.
The recently deployed Pulhwasal-3-31 cruise missile accurately struck predetermined objectives following a flight over the East Sea lasting 7,421 seconds and 7,445 seconds from the launch of a submarine, as reported by the Korean Central News Agency (KCNA), indicating the trial included two missiles. It did not give further details, such as their flight distances.
The South Korean military announced on Sunday that it had observed North Korea firing multiple cruise missiles at approximately 8 am near the eastern port city of Shinpo, which is home to a shipyard for constructing North Korean submarines.
According to Yonhap, North Korea test-fired the new Pulhwasal-3-31 cruise missile for the first time on Wednesday. Just four days later, North Korea revealed that the missile was a submarine-launched cruise missile.
Cruise missiles travel at low altitudes and maneuver effectively, which enhances their ability to avoid missile defense systems.
Kim said that "the nuclear weaponization of the navy is an urgent task of the times and a core requirement for building the state nuclear strategic force," the KCNA said, as per Yonhap News Agency.
"He set forth the important tasks arising in realising the nuclear weaponization of the navy and expanding the sphere of operation of the state nuclear deterrence in a diversified way," it said.
The leader of North Korea also talked about matters concerning the construction of a submarine powered by nuclear energy and other innovative war vessels.
