On February 3, North Korea announced that it conducted a "super-large warhead power test of a cruise missile" and test-launched a new type of anti-aircraft missile on February 2.
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| North Korea launches Pulhwasal-3-31, a new type of strategic cruise missile under development, on January 24. (Source: KCNA) |
The North's Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) quoted the North's Rocket Administration as saying that the tests in the Yellow Sea were carried out to "rapidly develop technology in various aspects such as functions, performance and operation of new-type weapon systems" and were part of "normal activities".
Earlier, the South Korean military said it detected North Korea launching several cruise missiles at around 11:00 a.m. on February 2 (local time) from the west coast. This is North Korea's fourth cruise missile launch this year.
On January 24, North Korea announced the first test launch of a new strategic cruise missile capable of carrying a nuclear warhead, named Pulhwasal-3-31.
The country also launched cruise missiles from submarines off its east coast on January 28, later confirming that these were also Pulhwasal-3-31 missiles.
On January 30, North Korea conducted a test launch of the Hwasal-2 strategic cruise missile. In Korean, Hwasal means "arrow" and Pulhwasal means "rocket".
* Also related to North Korea, on February 2, Russia criticized South Korea's stance on North Korea's nuclear policy.
Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova criticized South Korean President Yoon Suk-yeol's remarks as "heavily prejudiced" when he called North Korea "the only country in the world that has legalized the right to conduct a preemptive nuclear strike."
In an official statement from the Russian Foreign Ministry, Ms. Zakharova called this an attempt to “cover up” Seoul’s aggressive plans towards Pyongyang.
She also criticized the current tension and conflict on the Korean peninsula as primarily due to the policies of the US and its allies, including South Korea and Japan.
The Russian Foreign Ministry spokesman said that the US not only asserts its right to use nuclear weapons first, but also justifies "destructive preemptive" strikes on countries that Washington considers opponents.
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