North Korea fires cruise missiles amid tensions with Japan and South Korea
North Korea test-fired cruise missiles into the sea on Friday. It was the North’s fourth round of cruise missile tests in 2024.
The tests happened hours after its leader Kim Jong Un inspected unspecified naval projects at a shipyard in Nampho, on the west coast, reported news agency AP.
South Korea’s military said it detected multiple missiles but it did not immediately provide a specific number or an assessment of their flight characteristics. Its Joint Chiefs of Staff said the US and South Korean militaries were analysing the North Korean missile launches into its western sea.
The launches have come amid tensions with South Korea, Japan and the US. In recent months, Kim has highlighted the North’s efforts to build a nuclear-armed navy.
North Korea’s official Korean Central News Agency(KCNA) paraphrased Kim as saying that the strengthening of his naval force “presents itself as the most important issue in reliably defending the maritime sovereignty of the country and stepping up the war preparations.” KCNA did not specify the types of warships being built in Nampho, but said.
They were related to a five-year military development plan set during a ruling party congress in early 2021.In the 2021 meetings, Kim revealed an extensive wish list of advanced military assets, which included nuclear-powered submarines and nuclear missiles that can be launched from underwater.
During his inspections in Nampho, Kim checked the progress of his naval projects and remaining technological challenges. He ordered officials and workers to “unconditionally” complete the efforts within the timeframe of the plan that runs through 2025.
“By making military threats routine, North Korea is trying to create a sense of insecurity among South Korean people to undermine trust in their government and to attract international attention to build an atmosphere in which its demands must be accepted to resolve the crisis on the Korean Peninsula,” said Kim Inae, a spokesperson for South Korea’s Unification Ministry.