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North Korea has been demonstrating its armaments, which has rivaled South Korea. It said it tested cruise missiles with new “super-large” warheads and a new kind of anti-aircraft missile.
The North Korean military claimed to have seen the North launching multiple cruise missiles into waters off its western coast the day before, according to a report released by North Korean state media on Saturday. This is the nation’s fourth round of such weapon launches in 2024.
A low-flying cruise missile struck a target constructed on a coastal shore in photos taken by North Korea during the test, while another projectile shot up into the sky after being launched from the ground.
North Korea may be attempting to highlight the fact that these missiles are meant to be equipped with nuclear weapons by announcing the development of larger warheads for cruise missiles.
No information was provided by North Korea’s official Korean Central News Agency regarding the quantity or performance of the missiles tested. The agency stated that the tests had no bearing on neighboring security and were a component of the nation’s “normal activities” for military development.
A growing array of North Korean weapons intended to overwhelm local missile defenses includes cruise missiles. They are an addition to the nation’s extensive arsenal of ballistic missiles, which also includes long-range weapons pointed toward the US mainland.
Experts claim that as both nations stand together in the face of their distinct, escalating conflicts with the United States, North Korea stands to gain from its expanding military cooperation with Russia in the field of anti-aircraft missile technology.
North Korea’s leader, Kim Jong Un, considered the country’s two recent cruise missile tests, which were carried out from submarines, as a significant step toward his objective of developing a nuclear-armed navy. A long-range cruise missile that the North has tested is capable of carrying nuclear weapons and has a range of up to 2,000 kilometers (1,240 miles), which could put US military bases in Japan within range.
Following the launch of a brand-new solid-fuel intermediate-range missile on January 14, which highlighted North Korea’s efforts to develop weapons that could target US assets in the Pacific, including the military outpost of Guam, came those cruise missile tests.
The launches on Friday coincided with reports from North Korean state media that, while touring a shipyard in Nampho on the country’s west coast, Kim reaffirmed his emphasis on fortifying his naval forces.
Kim has placed a strong emphasis on developing a nuclear-armed navy to counter what he sees as mounting threats from South Korea, Japan, and the United States, all of which have increased their military cooperation in response to his nuclear ambitions.
With his nuclear arsenal steadily expanding and his relations with Russia growing stronger, there are worries that Kim may use this year’s US and South Korean elections as leverage against his rivals. According to experts, Kim wants to use his position of strength to negotiate security concessions and sanctions relief, as well as to pressure the US to acknowledge that the North is a nuclear power.
The Koreas’ disputed western sea boundary, the scene of multiple deadly naval skirmishes over the years, is one of the possible flashpoints.
Source- AFP
