North Korea has conducted a test of cluster-bomb warheads designed for tactical ballistic missiles, state media reported, as the country continues to expand its weapons capabilities.
The test took place on Saturday, following a series of recent weapons trials that included attack drones, a precision-guided torpedo system and an intermediate-range hypersonic missile.
The latest development comes amid rising tensions along the heavily fortified border between North and South Korea, following a landmine explosion that injured three South Korean soldiers.
Pyongyang has denied responsibility for the incident and vowed to strengthen security along its border areas while resuming its loudspeaker campaign.
According to the Korean Central News Agency (KCNA), Saturday’s test was conducted to evaluate the combat adaptability and destructive capabilities of cluster-bomb warheads intended for deployment on tactical ballistic missiles.
The agency reported that the test demonstrated the weapon’s ability to destroy a target area covering approximately 12 to 13 hectares through concentrated explosive power.
The director general of North Korea’s Missile Administration said the country planned to enable military units to select and deploy different weapon systems according to operational requirements and specific target characteristics within the year.
Images released by KCNA showed a projectile being launched from a mobile launcher, accompanied by an orange exhaust plume. Other photographs depicted multiple cluster-bomb impacts on an island target.
North Korean leader Kim Jong Un did not attend Saturday’s test. However, he had personally supervised a similar trial in April involving cluster-bomb warheads mounted on a ballistic missile, accompanied by his daughter, Ju Ae.
