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PoliticsNorth Korea

North Korea says it tested strategic cruise missiles

January 26, 2025

Kim Jong Un oversaw the missile test — the first since US President Donald Trump returned to the White House. Trump has said he would reach out to Kim in his second term.

https://p.dw.com/p/4pdQp
A missile flies during what state media KCNA says is a test of a strategic cruise missile at an undisclosed location
Kim Jong Un supervised the test, according to KCNA, which called it a test-fire of an 'important weapon system'Image: KCNA/REUTERS

North Korea carried out a strategic cruise missile test, Pyongyang's official Korean Central News Agency (KNCA) reported Sunday.

The country's leader Kim Jong Un oversaw the test, according to the report. North Korea's war deterrence means were being "perfected more thoroughly," KCNA quoted Kim as saying.

The sea-to-surface strategic guided cruise missiles traveled 1,500 kilometers (around 932 miles), KCNA said.

South Korea's Joint Chiefs of Staff said in a statement North Korea had fired "several" cruise missiles from an inland area toward waters off its west coast at around 4 p.m. local time (0700 UTC/GMT) on Saturday.

It said Seoul is prepared to "overwhelmingly" counter any provocations by Pyongyang together with its military alliance with the US.

Future of US-North Korea relations

The missile test was Pyongyang's first since US President Donald Trump kicked off his second term on Monday.

In an interview aired Thursday, Trump said he plans to restore relations with Kim, calling the North Korean leader a "smart guy." During Trump's first term in office, the two met on three occasions.

Meanwhile, in a separate KCNA report on Sunday, North Korea's Foreign Ministry condemned Washington and Seoul for conducting joint military drills in recent days.

The statement said North Korea "should counter the US with the toughest counteraction" as long as Washington denies Pyongyang's "sovereignty and security interests."

Joint military exercises between the US and South Korea regularly prompt angry reactions from the North, which accuses Washington and Seoul of practicing for an invasion. 

ess/wd (Reuters, AFP)