North Korea tests missile, where is leader Kim Jong-un? US reassures close ally

On January 29, the Rodong Sinmun newspaper - the mouthpiece of the Workers' Party of Korea - reported on the activities of North Korean leader Kim Jong-un when Pyongyang test-launched a cruise missile from a submarine the day before.

North Korean leader Kim Jong-un inspects the launch of a submarine-launched cruise missile on January 28. (Source: KCNA)

Yonhap quoted information from the above newspaper as saying that Mr. Kim Jong-un inspected the missile test launch.

The newspaper stated that on January 28, North Korea launched a strategic cruise missile Pulhwasal-3-31 from a submarine. The missile hit predetermined targets on an island in the East Sea of ​​North Korea after flying for about 7,421 to 7,445 seconds.

However, Rodong Sinmun did not release further information related to the launch, such as the distance the missile traveled before hitting its target.

Meanwhile, the Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) quoted Chairman Kim Jong-un as saying during the inspection that the current situation and threats that exist in the future require the Northeast Asian country to "further accelerate efforts to protect maritime sovereignty ".

North Korea will also continue to carry out its military modernization plan to build a powerful navy.

In addition, Mr. Kim Jong -un once again declared that equipping the navy with nuclear weapons is an urgent task of the times and a core requirement in building a national nuclear strategic force to expand the operational space of the nuclear deterrent force in various ways.

KCNA asserted that the submarine-launched missile test “had no impact on the security of a neighboring country and had nothing to do with the regional situation,” adding that the North Korean leader was “extremely satisfied” with the results of the launch.

The South Korean military announced that it detected North Korea launching several cruise missiles at around 8:00 a.m. on January 28 (6:00 a.m. the same day Hanoi time) into the sea near the eastern port city of Shinpo.

On January 24, North Korea confirmed for the first time that it had test-fired a new cruise missile, the Pulhwasal-3-31. According to Pyongyang, this was an effort to enhance its ability to carry tactical nuclear warheads.

Cruise missiles fly at low altitudes and have multiple maneuvering options, making them difficult to detect and intercept. Unlike ballistic missiles, testing of cruise missiles is not prohibited under current UN resolutions on North Korea.

Responding to North Korea's latest move, on January 28, a Pentagon spokesman affirmed that the US will continue to cooperate with South Korea and Japan to prevent military threats.

“We are closely monitoring Pyongyang’s actions. We have been clear about the threat posed by North Korea’s military programs, our commitment to the defense of South Korea and Japan, and the maintenance of peace and stability in the region,” the spokesman said.

Source: https://baoquocte.vn/trieu-tien-thu-ten-lua-nha-lanh-dao-kim-jong-un-o-dau-my-tran-an-dong-minh-than-thiet-259140.html