North Korea said on Thursday it had test-fired two types of submarine-launched strategic cruise missiles in the East Sea on Wednesday, October 14. The state Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) said the test was carried out by the country's Missile Administration.
KCNA said the test aimed to examine the readiness of underwater combat systems and train the navy in strategic missions, showcasing the reliability of the country's war deterrent. It said the launch had no adverse impact on the security of neighbouring countries. Al Jazeera reported that one of the missiles was a Pulhwasal-3-31, the same type North Korea said it test-fired from land last week.
The test was overseen by Kim Jong-sik, a member of the ruling Workers' Party's Central Military Commission, Missile Administration director-general Jang Chang-ha and navy underwater weapons engineers. Leader Kim Jong-un did not attend.
Yonhap reported that experts believe the missiles were fired from the Hero Kim Kun Ok, which Pyongyang calls its first tactical nuclear attack submarine and unveiled in September 2023. If confirmed, it would be the first missile launch from the 3,000-ton-class vessel. The last comparable submarine-launched cruise missile test was in January 2024.
Capt. Jang Do-young, a spokesperson for South Korea's Joint Chiefs of Staff, said the military had tracked the missiles from before launch to the end of their flight. He said one type was fired from a vertical launching system and the other from a torpedo launcher.
The launch follows tactical ballistic missile tests towards the East Sea earlier this week and a hypersonic intermediate-range missile test on October 3, amid rising tensions between the two Koreas.