NK leader oversees submarine
North Korean leader Kim Jung-un, right, looks over the East Sea where the regime test-fired submarine-launched cruise missiles on Jan. 28 in this photo provided by North Korea's Central News Agency. Yonhap
North Korean leader Kim Jong-un has overseen the test-fire of submarine-launched cruise missiles and reviewed a project to build a nuclear-powered submarine, state media reported Monday.
The new Pulhwasal-3-31 strategic cruise missile precisely hit an island target after flying over the East Sea for 7,421 seconds and 7,445 seconds, the Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) said, suggesting the test involved two missiles.
The flight time translates to two hours, three minutes and 41 seconds, and two hours, four minutes and five seconds, respectively. The KCNA did not give further details, including whether the missiles were launched from a submarine or a barge and how far they flew.
The South Korean military said Sunday it had detected the North's launch of several cruise missiles at around 8 a.m. over waters near the eastern port city of Sinpo, where a shipyard to build a North Korean submarine is located.
The Pulhwasal-3-31 is a new cruise missile that the North test-fired for the first time Wednesday. Just four days after the first launch, North Korea conducted the missile tests under the leader's supervision and disclosed that they were submarine-launched cruise missiles.
Cruise missiles, powered by jet engines, fly low and maneuver, making them hard to detect and intercept.
Kim stressed Sunday 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.
S. Korean military sees NK's claimed submarine-launched cruise missile test as 'exaggerated' 2024-01-29 13:53 | North Korea China unlikely to play constructive role in resolving N. Korea's threats 2024-01-28 15:11 | Foreign Affairs"He set forth the important tasks arising in realizing the nuclear weaponization of the navy and expanding the sphere of operation of the state nuclear deterrence in a diversified way," it said.
South Korea's Joint Chiefs of Staff said Monday it is weighing the possibility that North Korea might have "exaggerated" information on the missile's flight time, adding that it is analyzing details of the launch platform.
The latest launch came as North Korea has been diversifying missile launch platforms to deliver nuclear weapons in a bid to bolster its capabilities to stage a surprise attack and evade the existing missile defense system.
The North's leader also discussed issues related to the building of a nuclear-powered submarine and other new types of warships.
In September last year, North Korea unveiled what it claimed was its first tactical nuclear attack submarine capable of carrying out an underwater nuclear attack. At that time, Kim announced a plan to build more submarines, including a nuclear-powered sub.
A nuclear-powered submarine is on the list of high-tech weapons that the North's leader vowed to develop during a key party congress in 2021, along with a hypersonic warhead, spy satellites and solid-fuel intercontinental ballistic missiles.
The North's leader Kim Jong-un, center, oversees the country's test-fire of submarine-launched cruise missiles in this file photo carried by North Korea's official Korean Central News Agency, Jan. 29. Yonhap
South Korea's unification ministry condemned North Korea for wasting scarce resources for the development of weapons while turning a blind eye to people's livelihoods.
"The North unveiled a policy to develop the regional economy over the next decade. But even after 10 years, the improvement of livelihoods would be nothing but empty talk as long as the North squanders a shortage of resources for weapons development and provocations," Koo Byoung-sam, spokesperson at the ministry, told a press briefing.
North Korea has ramped up weapons tests in the new year in what appears to be an effort to strengthen its capabilities to deliver nuclear warheads. Earlier this month, the North fired a solid-fuel hypersonic missile and launched what it claimed was an underwater nuclear attack drone.
During a year-end party meeting, Kim Jong-un defined inter-Korean ties as relations between "two states hostile to each other" and vowed to "suppress" the whole territory of South Korea in the event of a contingency.
At the latest parliamentary meeting, Kim called for revising the country's constitution to define South Korea as the North's "primary foe" and announced the country will abandon its decadeslong policy of seeking reconciliation and unification with the South. (Yonhap)
-
We Cannot Live Without Cryptography!'I Love You, Daddy' premiere canceled as rumors swirl around Louis C.K.顾客感叹:“喝义兴藏茶才有感觉”The biggest crypto scams of 2022 (so far)Expanded police surveillance will get us “broken windows” on steroids.10 Facebook Live stars you need to follow nowTwitter now lets you mix videos, photos, and GIFs in a single tweet天全首个“4·20”地震灾后恢复重建重大项目开工We Cannot Live Without Cryptography!3年“老胃炎” 原是胆囊炎
- ·Tesla reveals Cybertruck has sold more than DeLorean
- ·Donald Trump ate his taco bowl on top of a picture of his bikini
- ·US senator: Trump wants to end NK crisis in first term
- ·Seoul urged to pursue two
- ·“大体老师”的故事:以生命点亮生命
- ·PM willing to meet NK delegation during Asian Games in event of encounter: senior official
- ·N. Korea calls dismantling of nuclear site 'significant measure': report
- ·3年“老胃炎” 原是胆囊炎
- ·16 of the Most Epic Sandwiches Around the Planet
- ·The TikTok data privacy settlement is not spam. Here’s who gets paid.
- ·'I Love You, Daddy' premiere canceled as rumors swirl around Louis C.K.
- ·US official voices concerns over N. Korean detainees in China at risk of repatriation
- ·“大体老师”的故事:以生命点亮生命
- ·North Korea slams UN nuclear agency as US mouthpiece
- ·宝兴县 险 山坡垮塌7千余方 幸 预警及时无人员伤亡
- ·Kim Kardashian fined $1.26 million by the SEC for promoting cryptocurrency on Instagram
- ·The Best AMD Ryzen Gaming Laptops (So Far)
- ·3 reasons why you should start a business in 2018
- ·All the weird and wacky things celebrities resembled at the Met Gala
- ·16 cats that are absolutely terrible at hide
- ·Aricell CEO arrested in first case under industrial accidents law
- ·Kim Kardashian fined $1.26 million by the SEC for promoting cryptocurrency on Instagram
- ·Apple lands new drama with Jennifer Aniston and Reese Witherspoon
- ·Hacker uses Fast Company's Apple News account to send offensive message
- ·CPUs Don't Matter For 4K Gaming... Wrong!
- ·Dozens of white supremacist artists streaming on Spotify, report finds
- ·Apple finally sends out payments for MacBook's butterfly keyboard settlement
- ·夏天“养骨”老时受益
- ·Leopards have suffered a 75% range loss worldwide
- ·‘Trump Against Humanity’ is the unofficial card game for tiny handed politicians
- ·Unionized hospital workers pull out from strike
- ·Gigi Hadid and Zayn Malik are the droids you're looking for
- ·全市首家心联小屋落户荥经中学
- ·The agony and the ecstasy of Justin Bieber's NYC pop up shop
- ·I went to an offline dating event for singles. Here's how it went.
- ·NK holds party's military commission meeting to decide on 'organizational' matters