North Korea announced on the 15th that it test-fired two types of submarine-launched strategic cruise missiles (SLCMs) off its east coast on the 14th. By conducting the first underwater test-fire of SLCMs capable of carrying nuclear warheads from a new tactical nuclear attack submarine, the regime demonstrated its highly advanced underwater nuclear surprise-attack capability.

North Korea reported through the Korean Central News Agency on the 15th, "The Missile General Bureau test-fired two types of submarine-launched strategic cruise missiles in the East Sea on the 14th." According to the launch photos released by North Korea, a submarine presumed to be the "Hero Kim Kun-ok"—a 3,000-ton tactical nuclear submarine—successively fired two types of SLCMs capable of carrying small nuclear warheads from vertical launch tubes (VLS) and torpedo tubes, executing a "mixed launch." This marks the first time North Korea has publicly revealed an SLCM being launched via VLS using the "cold launch" method (igniting in mid-air after ejection). The missiles used in this test are presumed to be part of the "Hwasal-3-31" series, which have a range of 2,000 kilometers and can accommodate small nuclear warheads.

The Joint Chiefs of Staff (JCS) did not make the test launch public until North Korea's announcement. The JCS stated, "We are continuously tracking and monitoring from the pre-launch phase through the cruise and terminal phases using various assets," though criticisms have emerged questioning whether there are limitations in detecting low-flying cruise missiles.

[ⓒ Global Economic Times. 무단전재-재배포 금지]