N.Korea Fires 2 “Strategic Cruise Missiles’ from Submarine

North Korea fired two “strategic cruise missiles” from a submarine in waters off its east coast this weekend, its state media reported on Monday.

This first known firing of cruise missiles from a submarine seems to be a show of strength by North Korea against the South Korea-US combined military exercise.

The missiles were fired from the 8.24 Yongung in waters off Kyongpho Bay in the East Sea in an underwater launching drill held at dawn on Sunday, according to the North’s official Korean Central News Agency (KCNA).

“The drill confirmed the reliability of the weapon system and examined the underwater-to-surface offensive operations of submarine units that constitute one of other major forces of the DPRK nuclear deterrent,” the KCNA report added.

The missiles precisely hit preset targets in the East Sea after “travelling the 1,500 km-long eight-shaped flight orbits for 7,563 to 7,575 seconds”.

The latest launch came on the eve of the start of the allies’ 11-day Freedom Shield exercise, which North Korea terms “preparations for a war of aggression” against it.

Military experts fear that North Korea appears to have improved the striking capability of its submarine through these missiles capable of carrying nuclear warheads. Now a North Korean cruise missile with an operational range of some 1,500 km may be able to target the whole of South Korea and US military bases in Japan.