According to the state-run Korean Central News Agency, North Korea conducted a test launch of strategic cruise missiles off its eastern coast to display the "war posture of the DPRK nuclear combat force," according to the state-run Korean Central News Agency.
According to official media, four Hwasal-2 missiles were launched from Kim Chaek City and flew around 1,240 kilometers before crashing into the sea.
North Korea Fires Cruise Missiles
US and South Korean defense officials were conducting a Deterrence Strategy Committee Table-Top Exercise (DSC TTX) at the Pentagon when the launches occurred.
The United States conducted joint military drills with South Korea and Japan on Sunday, drawing condemnation from North Korea. During this exercise, US B-1B bombers were escorted by South Korean fighter jets near the Korean peninsula, Fox News reported.
A day before, North Korea fired an intercontinental ballistic missile, the Hwasong-15, with Kim Jong Un's sister stating they were "using the Pacific as a shooting range."
The Joint Chiefs of Staff of South Korea stated that there were differences between the flight data released by North Korea and the readings of US and South Korean intelligence assets but did not explain. It was stated that the allies continued to evaluate the launches.
The spokesperson for Seoul's Unification Ministry, which handles inter-Korean issues, Lee Hyojung, condemned North Korea for accelerating its nuclear tests amid indications of increasing economic isolation and food shortages.
Per AP News, North Korea conducted its maiden test of a long-range cruise missile system in September 2021 and has hinted that nuclear warheads are being produced for the missiles. Pyongyang also test-fired an intercontinental ballistic missile on Saturday and two short-range missiles on Monday to demonstrate its dual capability to launch nuclear attacks against South Korea and the US mainland.
US-South Korea Military Drills
North Korea stated that Monday's short-range missile launches were a retaliation to the United States deployment of B-1B bombers to the region on Sunday for joint training with South Korean and Japanese jets as a show of force in response to the North's ICBM test.
Before launching an intercontinental ballistic missile, North Korea threatened "unprecedented" retaliation for a series of military exercises planned by Seoul and Washington. North Korea has labeled the annual US-South Korea exercises as preparations for a future invasion, although the exercises are defensive, according to the allies.
North Korean cruise missiles are meant to be maneuverable in flight to elude defenses, and their quantity of warheads is expanding. After the breakdown of discussions with the United States in 2019, North Korea has accelerated the development of short-range solid-fuel ballistic missiles aimed against South Korea, particularly those with low trajectories that, in theory, would be more difficult to intercept.
Kim Yo-jong, the sister of North Korean leader Kim Jong Un, described the Pacific as "our shooting range" earlier this week. Pyongyang has also rejected previous United Nations censure of its missile tests, arguing that the criticism was "unfair and imbalanced" and did not recognize North Korea's right to self-defense.
North Korea continues disregarding international non-proliferation regulations by attempting to develop and mass-produce new missiles. Until 2022, North Korea's official stance on the use of nuclear weapons was that they would "never be abused or used as a means for a preemptive strike."
However, if there is an "attempt to resort to military force against us," it may use its "most powerful offensive strength in advance to punish them." In 2022, the government enacted a new policy mandating that any attack on their senior leadership or nuclear command and control system would automatically launch nuclear weapons against the adversary, as per Mirror.
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