South Korea’s military has reported that North Korea has conducted its fifth test of multiple missiles off the eastern coast.
This test is part of a series of weapon tests that have been observed since January.
The missiles were launched at 9 a.m. local time from the coastal city of Wonsan, as verified by the Joint Chiefs of Staff, further escalating tensions in the area.
In response to these actions, the Joint Chiefs of Staff stated in a released statement, “While enhancing surveillance and maintaining vigilance, our military is closely coordinating with the United States and actively monitoring any additional indications and activities originating from North Korea.”
Although the exact quantity of missiles launched and their flight distances were not immediately disclosed by the South Korean military, it remains unclear whether the missiles were launched from land-based facilities or sea-based assets.
New Strategic Cruise Missile Test by North Korea
North Korea had previously conducted a test of a new strategic cruise missile capable of carrying a nuclear warhead on January 24.
This was followed by the launch of a submarine-launched cruise missile on January 28, along with two additional rounds of tests from the west coast within the same week, as reported by the Yonhap News Agency.
Due to their low flight profile, cruise missiles are inherently difficult to detect and intercept.
In a statement, experts have expressed apprehensions regarding the recent weapon tests, suggesting a potential connection to Russia’s military activities in Ukraine.
Ahn Chan-il, a defector-turned-researcher overseeing the World Institute for North Korea Studies, informed AFP that North Korea purportedly supplied significant volumes of multiple rocket launchers to Russia in the preceding year.
He speculated that there might have been concerns regarding the quality of the weaponry dispatched to Moscow, prompting the current testing phase to rectify any perceived shortcomings.
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Kim Jong Un’s Aggressive Rhetoric Toward South Korea
Kim Jong Un, the leader of North Korea, has recently made aggressive remarks directed at South Korea, including a statement indicating his intention to abandon the North’s long standing goal of reconciliation with its war-partitioned neighbor.
Furthermore, he issued a threat to employ nuclear weapons to annihilate the South in response to any provocation.
There is apprehension in South Korea regarding the potential for Kim to escalate tensions by initiating a direct military confrontation.
This escalation could potentially occur in the vicinity of the disputed western maritime boundary between the two Koreas, an area that has previously been the scene of deadly naval clashes.
North Korea is expanding its arsenal with an emphasis on cruise missiles, which possess enhanced maneuverability akin to small aircraft during flight.
These weapons are part of a broader effort to overwhelm missile defense systems, complementing the nation’s substantial inventory of ballistic missiles capable of deployment from both land and sea platforms.
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