World

North Korea says it has test-fired cruise missiles which hit target 1,240 miles away

North Korea says it has test-fired cruise missiles which hit target 1,240 miles away

North Korea says it has test-fired long range cruise missiles, hitting a target 1,240 miles (2,000km) away.

Leader Kim Jong Un oversaw the tests and said his country should expand the capabilities of its nuclear arsenal to deter its enemies, state media said.

Stressing the test-fire was another clear warning to its “enemies”, Mr Kim said the country “should continue to expand the operational sphere of the nuclear strategic armed forces to resolutely deter any crucial military crisis and war crisis at any time and completely take the initiative in it,” according to Korea Central News Agency (KCNA).

KCNA also said the two missiles test-fired on Wednesday flew for 10,234 seconds to “clearly hit the target 2,000km away.”

The launch of the two cruise missiles was “aimed at further enhancing the combat efficiency and might (of its missiles) …
for the operation of tactical nukes and reconfirming the reliability and technical safety of the overall operational application system,” it added.

Read more:
Kim Jong Un vows to strengthen North Korea’s nuclear operations following missile tests
North Korea passes law to allow pre-emptive nuclear strikes to protect itself

It comes after Mr Kim said there was no need to have dialogue with North Korea’s adversaries after he vowed to strengthen his country’s nuclear operations.

A test on Tuesday saw an intermediate-range ballistic missile (IRBM) fired over Japan which was a newly-developed missile, according to state media.