North Korea says it test-fired two strategic cruise missile types from submarines

The announcement

North Korea's official news agency KCNA said on Thursday, 15 October, that the country had test-fired two types of strategic cruise missiles launched from submarines. The launches took place on Wednesday, 14 October, toward the Sea of Japan. According to KCNA, the tests were meant to examine the current readiness of underwater combat systems, and it reported no negative impact on the security of neighbouring countries.

State media described the weapons as strategic, a label that implies an intent to arm them with nuclear warheads. The report did not say whether the missiles were fired from an actual submarine or from an underwater test platform. KCNA photos show one missile flying horizontally over the sea, trailing orange exhaust and white flames, while a second missile is captured at the moment of launch.

Tensions with Seoul

The tests follow several weeks of rising tension with Seoul, which began with a land mine explosion on 21 September in the demilitarised zone (DMZ) controlled by South Korea. Three South Korean soldiers were wounded in that blast. North Korea has also halted all coordination with the South and removed references to reunification from its constitution. Kim Jong Un has made boosting the nuclear arsenal his key priority, and denuclearization, the goal Washington has pushed for, is not on the table for Pyongyang.

A run of launches in October

North Korea has carried out several ballistic missile tests in October, the most recent on Monday, 12 October. In the week of 5 October, South Korea test-fired its first hypersonic missile of domestic design, a few days after Pyongyang announced a hypersonic intermediate-range missile assisted by artificial intelligence. Shortly before this test, state media released photos of Kim Jong Un visiting a new military museum in an undisclosed location, where an intercontinental ballistic missile reportedly capable of reaching the United States was on display. Earlier in the week of 12 October, Trump, alluding to a trip to Asia planned for November, said he might meet Kim during it. The two have not met in recent years, and Trump met Kim three times during his first term.

Submarine capability gap

North Korea has fired missiles from submarines several times in recent years, yet its sea-launch capability remains unclear. Proof of a real submarine-launched ballistic missile capability would take its arsenal to a new level, allowing deployment well beyond the Korean peninsula and a second-strike capability in case of attack. Cruise missiles generally use jet propulsion and fly at lower altitudes than more sophisticated ballistic missiles, which makes them harder to detect and intercept. Reports say the country has used various platforms in its tests, including an outdated submarine, and it is not believed to have put a modern missile submarine into full operation.