North Korean state media announced on Monday that its Armed Forces have successfully tested two submarine-launched cruise missiles (SLCM) for the first time.
State media said the “underwater launching drill” off the east coast serves as “proof of the regular operating posture of [our] nuclear war deterrent means in diverse spaces.” The report did not mention the presence of leader Kim Jong Un at the test.
An official news story from the Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) said that “two missiles have hit their designated targets after flying 1,500 km which lasted for 7,563 (2h 6m 3s) and 7,575 (2h 6m 15s) seconds respectively.”
The report also stated that two missiles were launched from the August 24 (8.24) Hero submarine on Sunday morning in Kyongpho Bay near Sinpho.
The Joint Chiefs of Staff (JCS) said it detected the launch from the Jangyon area in South Hwanghae Province between 7:41 a.m. and 7:51 a.m., and they flew some 620 kilometers.
The intelligence authorities of South Korea and the United States are conducting a comprehensive analysis of the specifics of the missiles, according to the JCS.
“We strongly condemn the North’s series of ballistic missile launches as an act of significant provocation that harms peace and stability not only on the Korean Peninsula, but also in the international community, and a clear violation of U.N. Security Council resolutions,” the JCS said in a text message sent to reporters.