North Korea tests new air defense system, fires missiles into East Sea
North Korean leader Kim Jong Un (photo: Getty Images)
North Korea has tested a new air defense system and launched several missiles toward the East Sea. Pyongyang said it had verified the new weapons' technical capabilities, including their ability to detect, identify, and track targets, according to Yonhap.
Details of tests
North Korean state media say the new air defense system was tested on Wednesday, November 4. North Korea's Missile Administration conducted the tests under the supervision of Kim Jong-sik, a member of the Central Military Commission.
Pyongyang said the tests confirmed the technical specifications and reliability of the missile's new components, as well as the performance of its intelligent multiple-guidance warhead mode.
The air defense system's capabilities to detect, identify, and track targets were also tested, along with the operation of its information-processing device.
On the same day, a long-range strategic cruise missile unit stationed in the country's eastern part conducted separate live-fire drills. The military practiced a cruise missile strike against a simulated target—an airfield.
What missiles North Korea launched
South Korea's Joint Chiefs of Staff reported that North Korea launched several missiles early on November 4 from the Sondok area in South Hamgyong Province toward the East Sea.
Initial assessments indicated that the missiles traveled less than 300 kilometers. South Korean military officials did not rule out the possibility that one of the projectiles was a short-range ballistic missile.
The latest tests come amid an intensification of Pyongyang's missile program. According to Reuters, this was already North Korea's fourth weapons test in the past month.
Earlier, North Korea announced the test of a strategic cruise missile equipped with a cluster warhead.
