North Korea test-fires strategic cruise missiles days after cluster bomb test, KCNA reports

North Korea conducted a strategic cruise missile test on Monday, following a cluster bomb test the previous day, according to state media KCNA. The test took place despite rising tensions on the Korean peninsula after a landmine blast along their border wounded three South Korean soldiers. The cruise missile, equipped with a middle-sized dispersal warhead, can destroy an area of 5 to 6 hectares.

The test improved the missile's ability to deliver a vertical strike, considering the geographical characteristics of the target. North Korea stated that conducting the test was necessary to protect the country's security and deter potential threats. The nuclear-armed nation has recently tested a variety of weapons, including drones, a new precision-guided torpedo, and an intermediate-range hypersonic missile.

South Korea and the United States are closely examining the characteristics and specifications of the cruise missile, as tests of this type are not prohibited by UN Security Council sanctions.