close
Friday July 26, 2024

North Korea fires cruise missiles in fresh flurry of tests

This month, Pyongyang has conducted tests of what it called an “underwater nuclear weapon system

By AFP
January 31, 2024
This picture shows the test firing of a North Korean Hwasong-17 intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) at Pyongyang International Airport, on March 16, 2023. — AFP
This picture shows the test firing of a North Korean Hwasong-17 intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) at Pyongyang International Airport, on March 16, 2023. — AFP

SEOUL: North Korea fired another round of cruise missiles on Tuesday, Seoul´s military said, extending a recent flurry of tests of weapons that analysts warned could be destined for Russia´s war in Ukraine.

This month, Pyongyang has conducted tests of what it called an “underwater nuclear weapon system”, a solid-fuelled hypersonic ballistic missile, and a new generation of strategic cruise missiles.

Relations between the two Koreas have sharply deteriorated, with Kim Jong Un declaring Seoul his principal enemy, as he pulls closer to Moscow, including, Washington says, sending weapons for use in Ukraine.

South Korea´s military said it had detected the launch of several cruise missiles early Tuesday, adding that it was “conducting a detailed analysis” while strengthening surveillance in cooperation with ally the United States.

Unlike their ballistic counterparts, the testing of cruise missiles is not banned under current UN sanctions on Pyongyang.