Pyongyang tests a newly designed air defence system and conducts a separate long-range cruise missile drill targeting a simulated airport.
SEOUL: North Korea has tested a newly designed air defence missile system and conducted a separate long-range cruise missile strike drill, marking another development in its ongoing military weapons programme.
The tests were carried out on November 4, with North Korean state media reporting the developments on Thursday, November 5.
The country’s Missile Administration conducted the air defence system test under the supervision of Kim Jong-sik, a member of the Central Military Commission.
North Korea’s Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) said the exercise evaluated the missile system’s technical specifications, guidance capabilities, target identification and tracking performance, as well as its detection information processing equipment.
In a separate military exercise, a unit of North Korea’s long-range strategic cruise missile force conducted a strike drill against a simulated airport target.
The development came after South Korea’s Joint Chiefs of Staff detected multiple missiles launched from the Sondok area in South Hamgyong Province towards the East Sea early Wednesday.
South Korean military authorities said the projectiles travelled less than 300 kilometres, while further assessments were being conducted to determine their exact types and capabilities.
The latest exercises come amid heightened military tensions on the Korean Peninsula and ongoing joint military drills between South Korea and the United States.
North Korea has repeatedly criticised military cooperation between Washington and Seoul, describing their joint exercises as a security threat.
The latest missile activities also follow several other weapons tests conducted by Pyongyang in recent days, reflecting its continued efforts to develop and demonstrate different military capabilities.
The reported air defence test and cruise missile drill highlight two separate aspects of North Korea’s weapons programme: defending against aerial threats and developing long-range strike capabilities.
However, the technical performance and operational readiness of the newly tested air defence system have not been independently verified.
Regional security officials continue to monitor North Korea’s military activities as tensions remain elevated across Northeast Asia.
