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North Korea test-fired two strategic cruise missiles from a submarine on Sunday, state news agency KCNA said on Monday as US-South Korea military exercises were set to begin.
“Strategic” is usually used to describe weapons with nuclear capabilities. KCNA said the launch confirmed the system’s reliability and tested the underwater offensive operations of a submarine unit that is part of North Korea’s nuclear deterrent.
South Korea’s Joint Chiefs of Staff said the military was on high alert and that the country’s intelligence agencies were working with their US counterparts to analyze the specifics of the launch.
On Monday, South Korean and American troops are scheduled to begin an 11-day joint exercise, dubbed “Independence Shield 23.”
The submarine was launched with the aim of showing North Korea’s determination to control the situation where, KCNA said, “the US imperialists and South Korean puppet forces are increasingly undisguised in their anti-DPRK military maneuvers.”
DPRK stands for North Korea, officially the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea.
KCNA said a strategic cruise missile was fired from the submarine “8.24 Yongung” in waters off the east coast of Korea on Sunday.
The missile traveled 1,500 kilometers before reaching its target in the sea, the KCNA report said.
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