North Korea said on Thursday that it had tested a new strategic cruise missile called Pulhwasal-3-31 for the first time the day before in what was seen as an effort to strengthen capabilities to deliver nuclear weapons, UNN reports citing Yonhap.
Details
According to the Korean Central News Agency (KCNA), North Korea's General Missile Directorate stated that the test was "a process of continuously updating the weapons system and a regular and mandatory activity of the agency and its affiliated defense research institutions.
The report does not provide details, such as how far the missile flew.
South Korea's military said Wednesday that North Korea fired several cruise missiles toward the Yellow Sea at 7 a.m. local time, but did not provide any details, including the distance they flew.
Addendum
This was the first known cruise missile launch by the DPRK since last September, when the country launched two long-range strategic cruise missiles with simulated nuclear warheads toward the Yellow Sea. At that time, Pyongyang said the missiles traveled 1,500-km-long eight-shaped flight orbits.