North Korea announced on Wednesday that it test-fired sea-to-surface strategic cruise missiles in the Yellow Sea on Tuesday. The launch took place just before US President Donald Trump’s planned visit to South Korea for the APEC summit, according to South Korean media outlet Yonhap News Agency .Quoting North Korea’s state-run KCNA, Yonhap reported that the upgraded cruise missiles were launched vertically from ships and flew for over 7,800 seconds along a pre-set route before hitting their target. North Korean leader Kim Jong-un did not attend the test, and the country’s domestic media, including Rodong Sinmun, did not mention the launch. Pak Jong-chon, vice chairman of North Korea’s Central Military Commission, said the test was part of efforts to make the country’s nuclear forces more “practical.” He described it as a responsible way to ensure the reliability of North Korea’s strategic weapons and to strengthen its military readiness. South Korea’s Joint Chiefs of Staff confirmed detecting the missile launch around 3 p.m. on Tuesday and said the details are being analyzed with US intelligence. Experts told Yonhap that the missiles appear to be of the Hwasal type, previously showcased at North Korea’s defense exhibition earlier this month. Analyst Hong Min noted that their flight time suggests a range of about 1,500 kilometers — enough to reach parts of Japan and China if launched from the Yellow Sea. The missile test occurred as North Korea remains silent on Trump’s recent proposal for talks, which he reiterated ahead of his visit to Seoul for the APEC meetings from October 29 to 30.
