North Korea said Thursday that its latest series of weapons tests featured a variety of new systems, including ballistic missiles armed with cluster-munition warheads, as it pushes ahead with efforts to expand its nuclear-capable arsenal targeting rival South Korea.
The statement, carried by state media, followed reports from South Korea’s military a day earlier that multiple missiles had been launched from North Korea’s eastern coast, marking the second set of tests in as many days.
According to the Korean Central News Agency (KCNA), the drills spanned three days beginning Monday and included trials of anti-aircraft weapons, electromagnetic technology, and carbon-fiber bombs.
South Korea’s Joint Chiefs of Staff said Wednesday’s launches traveled between 240 and 700 kilometers before landing in the sea. Another projectile was reportedly fired Tuesday from an area near Pyongyang.
KCNA added that some of the weapons tested were nuclear-capable Hwasong-11 ballistic missiles fitted with cluster warheads. These missiles are designed to fly at low altitudes and maneuver mid-flight—similar to Russia’s Iskander systems—making them harder to intercept. The report claimed they could inflict heavy damage across an area of roughly 6.5 to 7 hectares.
South Korea’s military has not immediately commented on those claims.
The latest developments underscore persistent tensions on the Korean Peninsula, reducing prospects for renewed dialogue between the two sides.
Earlier in the week, Jang Kum Chol, a senior North Korean Foreign Ministry official, labeled South Korea the country’s “most hostile enemy state” and criticized Seoul’s leadership over efforts to revive stalled diplomatic talks.
Leader Kim Jong Un has largely suspended engagement with both Seoul and Washington since nuclear negotiations with former U.S. President Donald Trump broke down in 2019. Since then, North Korea has accelerated the development of advanced missile systems capable of striking U.S. allies in Asia and potentially the U.S. mainland.
Kim has also moved to deepen ties with countries such as Russia and China as part of a broader strategy to counter international isolation and strengthen regional influence. Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi is expected to visit North Korea for a two-day trip as diplomatic exchanges between the two nations continue.
