00:00North Korea has once again raised tensions on the Korean peninsula after announcing that
00:24it has test-fired two strategic long-range cruise missiles in what it calls a demonstration
00:30of its nuclear combat readiness.
00:33According to North Korea's state-run media, the Korean Central News Agency, or KCNA, the
00:39launches took place on Sunday over the Yellow Sea, west of the Korean peninsula.
00:45What makes this drill especially significant is that leader Kim Jong-un personally oversaw
00:51the test.
00:52KCNA says the exercise was meant to review the combat capability and counter-offensive
00:58readiness of North Korea's long-range missile units.
01:02State media reported that the missiles flew for more than two hours before successfully
01:07striking their intended targets at sea.
01:10North Korean outlets even released video footage showing the missiles being launched and hitting
01:15the targets.
01:17Kim Jong-un expressed what they described as great satisfaction with the test and vowed
01:23unlimited and sustained development of North Korea's nuclear combat forces.
01:27South Korea's military also confirmed the event.
01:31Its Joint Chiefs of Staff said it detected several cruise missile launches at around 8 a.m.
01:37on Sunday from the Sunan area near Pyongyang.
01:41South Korean officials stressed that their forces remain in full readiness, working closely with
01:47the United States to respond to any provocations.
01:52North Korea, however, insists that these launches are defensive.
01:57KCNA quoted Kim Jong-un as saying that testing the reliability of the country's nuclear deterrent
02:04is a responsible exercise of the right to self-defense against what Pyongyang views as growing external threats.
02:12This latest test follows another major development.
02:16Just days earlier, North Korea revealed progress on its first nuclear-powered submarine.
02:22Kim Jong-un reportedly inspected a large submarine under construction, accompanied by senior officials
02:29and his daughter Kim Joo-ae.
02:31Pyongyang has hinted that the submarine could eventually be armed with nuclear-capable missiles.
02:38The timing of these moves is important.
02:41North Korea is preparing for a Workers' Party Congress early next year, the first in five years.
02:48Global attention will be watching closely to see whether Kim announces new policies toward
02:53the United States, and possibly toward stalled nuclear negotiations.
02:59Analysts say North Korea's cruise missile drills are meant to send a message.
03:04Aero-type cruise missiles, with an estimated range of around 2,000 kilometers, could potentially
03:10strike targets anywhere on the Korean Peninsula, and even U.S. military bases in Japan.
03:17For now, the test firing of these long-range cruise missiles serves as yet another reminder
03:23that the Korean Peninsula remains one of the world's most volatile flashpoints, with each
03:29new military move adding pressure, uncertainty, and the risk of miscalculation.
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