North Korea has conducted test launches of strategic cruise missiles, aiming to send a clear message to its adversaries about its counterattack capabilities, state media reported.
According to the Korean Central News Agency (KCNA), North Korean leader Kim Jong Un personally oversaw the missile drills in the Yellow Sea on Wednesday. South Korea’s Joint Chiefs of Staff later confirmed it had tracked the launches.
Pyongyang stated that the drills were intended as a warning to “enemies” who are “violating the security environment” of North Korea and escalating tensions. The test also demonstrated the nation’s readiness to deploy nuclear weapons if necessary, KCNA reported.
The missiles followed a 1,587km (986-mile) trajectory over 130 minutes before striking their designated targets with precision, the agency claimed.
Kim expressed satisfaction with the test results, emphasizing that such drills were essential to maintaining the reliability of North Korea’s nuclear deterrence.
This marks North Korea’s fourth missile test of the year and the second since the inauguration of U.S. President Donald Trump in January. Trump, who previously held three summits with Kim Jong Un in an effort to denuclearize North Korea, recently hinted at his willingness to engage with the North Korean leader once again.
“I got along with him,” Trump said in a January interview with Fox News. “He is not a religious zealot. He happens to be a smart guy.”
Source : https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2025/2/28/north-korea-says-it-launched-cruise-missiles-in-message-to-enemies