North Korea launches multiple cruise missiles in big statement of intent

SEOUL – North Korea has fired multiple cruise missiles into the Yellow Sea, according to South Korea’s Joint Chiefs of Staff.

The launch comes in the wake of North Korea’s recent short-range ballistic missile test, which it described as a “tactical nuclear strike drill” in response to joint military exercises conducted by the United States and South Korea.

The missiles were fired at approximately 4 am local time, and their specifications are currently under evaluation, as per the statement from South Korea’s Joint Chiefs of Staff.

In response to the missile launch, South Korea and the United States have increased surveillance and monitoring while maintaining a high level of readiness.

North Korea’s leader, Kim Jong Un, recently visited a training command post where he outlined future war plans, including the concept of “simultaneous super-intense strikes” on key military targets in South Korea.

This missile launch is part of a series of provocations from Pyongyang in 2023, including a failed attempt to launch a spy satellite.

In response, South Korea and the United States have strengthened their defense cooperation, conducting joint military exercises with advanced stealth jets and U.S. strategic assets.

Diplomatic efforts to address Pyongyang’s denuclearization have stalled, and relations between the two Koreas have deteriorated significantly.

Kim Jong Un has declared North Korea an “irreversible” nuclear power and called for increased arms production, including tactical nuclear weapons.

This escalation in missile tests underscores the ongoing tensions in the Korean Peninsula, with little sign of a diplomatic breakthrough in the near future.