North Korea has conducted a significant missile test, firing long-range strategic cruise missiles into the sea in a move widely seen as a fresh warning over its nuclear capabilities.
Kim Jong Un Oversees Provocative Launches
The launches took place on Sunday and were personally supervised by the country's leader, Kim Jong Un. According to state media, Kim expressed "great satisfaction" with the exercise. He framed the tests as a responsible exercise of the right to self-defence, a direct response to what he termed external security threats facing the isolated regime.
International Response and Legal Grey Area
South Korea's Joint Chiefs of Staff swiftly confirmed the missile firings, which originated from the capital region around Pyongyang. The South Korean military, in coordination with the United States, affirmed its readiness to monitor and repel any potential provocations.
This latest test exploits a technicality in international sanctions. While UN Security Council resolutions explicitly prohibit North Korea from testing ballistic missiles, the testing of cruise missiles is not directly banned. However, the advanced manoeuvrability and potential dual-use capability of these weapons make them a serious threat to regional stability.
Ongoing Escalation of Weapons Programme
Sunday's missile firings are not an isolated incident. They form a part of North Korea's persistent and accelerated campaign to expand its nuclear arsenal and introduce advanced weapon systems. This aggressive development push gained momentum following the collapse of denuclearisation diplomacy with the United States back in 2019.
The regime continues to use such tests to refine its military technology and signal its defiance to the international community, raising tensions on the Korean Peninsula to concerning levels.
