S Korean military claims North Korea fires cruise missiles into the Yellow Sea

Since September 2023, when Pyongyang fired two long-range strategic cruise missiles toward the same area, this launch is the first of its kind.

Days after carrying out two distinct weapons tests, North Korea reportedly launched several cruise missiles toward the Yellow Sea, according to South Korean media on Wednesday.

Yonhap reported that the Joint Chiefs of Staff (JCS) of South Korea stated that the launches occurred at approximately 7 a.m., without providing any other information.

According to a JCS statement cited by Yonhap, “our military has been closely coordinating with the United States to monitor additional signs of North Korea’s provocations, while strengthening our monitoring and vigilance.”

This is the first launch of its kind since Pyongyang fired two long-range strategic cruise missiles at the same area in September 2023, both of which had dummy nuclear warheads.

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The repeated launches occur just days after the first missile of the year, a solid-fuel intermediate-range ballistic missile with a hypersonic warhead, was shot by Kim Jong-un’s forces into the East Sea.

Last week, the US, South Korea, and Japan conducted combined naval drills, prompting Pyongyang to test a “underwater nuclear weapon system,” according to a claim by the North Korean media outlet KCNA.

Pyongyang conducted an important test of its underwater nuclear weapon system, Haeil-5-23, under development in the East Sea of Korea in retaliation to the maneuvers, which it said were “seriously threatening the security” of the North, according to the KCNA.

Pyongyang conducted several tests of an alleged underwater nuclear attack drone early in the previous year, stating that the device could cause a radioactive tsunami.

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Long-tense relations between the two Koreas have sharply deteriorated in recent months as both sides have abandoned important agreements aimed at lowering tension, increased border security, and started holding live-fire drills.

Last week, Kim Jong Un, the leader of North Korea, proclaimed that the South was his nation’s main adversary, disbanded organizations that worked toward unification and outreach, and threatened to go to war over a mere 0.001 mm of territorial violation.