Pyongyang (TDI): North Korea has tested a newly designed advanced air-defense missile system, state media reported Thursday, as Pyongyang continued a series of weapons tests amid heightened tensions on the Korean Peninsula.
General Kim Jong Sik, a member of North Korea’s Central Military Commission, oversaw the test-fire on Wednesday, which was conducted to verify the technical specifications and operational capabilities of the new system, the Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) reported.
The announcement came a day after South Korea said North Korea had launched multiple missiles. According to KCNA, the test demonstrated the system’s technical performance, including the reliability of its newly developed components, intelligent multi-guidance capabilities, target identification and tracking functions, and the processing of detection information.
The report did not provide further technical details about the missile system or specify the location of the test. In a separate exercise on Wednesday, a North Korean military unit responsible for long-range strategic cruise missiles conducted a live-fire demonstration in the country’s eastern region, KCNA said.
The agency reported that the unit successfully carried out a simulated strike against an airport target using a long-range strategic cruise missile. It did not identify the location of the exercise or provide details about the target.
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The latest activities mark the fourth reported round of missile-related tests by Pyongyang within a week. North Korea previously fired a 600-millimetre ultra-precision multiple rocket launcher last Thursday. On Saturday, it tested cluster-bomb warheads mounted on tactical ballistic missiles, followed by a test of a dispersal warhead for a strategic cruise missile on Monday.
The sequence of weapons tests comes as South Korea and the United States conduct joint military drills, while tensions between Seoul and Pyongyang remain elevated.
South Korea has also accused North Korea of responsibility for an explosion inside the Demilitarized Zone (DMZ) on September 21 that wounded three South Korean soldiers.
Pyongyang has rejected the accusations. It has also not responded to Seoul’s offer to restore military communication channels, which South Korea says could help ease tensions and reduce the risk of further incidents.
The latest missile activities underscore the continuing military friction on the Korean Peninsula, where both sides have exchanged accusations over security incidents and military exercises.
