Seoul: The latest action by the nuclear-armed state to heighten tensions was the test launch of a new strategic cruise missile from a submarine, which was overseen by North Korean leader Kim Jong Un, according to state media on Monday.
According to state-run news agency KCNA, the two Pulhwasal-3-31 missiles “flew in the sky above the East Sea… to hit the island target” on Sunday. Kim Jong Un reportedly “guided” the launch.
The missiles’ length of flight and whether they were launched from above or below the ocean were not specified, however it was stated that they were in the air for 7,421 and 7,445 seconds, respectively.
Pyongyang claimed to have only tested the Pulhwasal-3-31, a new generation of strategic cruise missile, once on Wednesday, launching numerous missiles in the direction of the Yellow Sea.
It is still unknown how precise North Korea’s sea-based launch capabilities are.
Earlier testing were not conducted from a genuine submarine, but rather from older boats, such as a submerged platform.
According to Pyongyang, North Korea launched two cruise missiles in March of last year that traveled 1,500 kilometers (930 miles), which put most of Japan and all of South Korea in their path.
However, experts noted that it seemed they were fired from above the sea, eliminating the weapon’s ability to be stealthily deployed.
The Pukguksong-3 is a submarine-launched ballistic missile (SLBM) that North Korea possesses. Its estimated range is 1,900 kilometers. In October 2021, it declared that a new iteration of its missile had successfully tested.
Because they may be fired from beneath the ocean, SLBMs are incredibly mobile and difficult to detect.
A second-strike capability in the case of an assault and deployment well beyond the Korean peninsula would be made possible by proven SLBM capability, which would elevate North Korea’s arsenal to new heights.
Additionally, North Korea has used its “first tactical nuclear attack submarine” for what it described as drills.
