SEOUL: North Korean leader Kim Jong-un has overseen the test of two long-range cruise missiles, state news agency KCNA reported on Monday (Dec 29).
The drill was carried out on Sunday under Kim's supervision, the agency said.
Pyongyang said that, after a flight time of nearly three hours, the missiles hit their intended targets in the Yellow Sea off the country's west coast.
KCNA said that Kim defended the drill as a responsible exercise of the right to self-defence and war deterrence.
Even though North Korea is prohibited by UN resolutions from launching or even testing ballistic missiles of any range, Pyongyang has significantly expanded its missile tests over the past years while sharpening its rhetoric against the United States and South Korea. It has also strengthened its military cooperation with Russia.
Cruise missiles are not explicitly covered by the UN ban. However, due to their low altitude and high manoeuvrability, the missiles are considered a potential threat, especially to neighbouring South Korea, as they are much more difficult for radar systems to detect than ballistic missiles. - dpa
