North Korea announces it performed cruise missile tests North Korea discloses it has test-fired strategic cruise missiles to protest its nuclear counter-attack capability
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SEOUL, South Korea -- North Korea reported Friday it had test-fired strategic cruise missiles to protest its nuclear counter-attack capability, days after it vowed to respond to what it summoned climbing up U.S.-led hostilities since the start of the Trump administration.
The official Korean Central News Agency reported leader Kim Jong Un oversaw the missile tests off the country’s west coast Wednesday. They were the North’s fourth missile launch occasion this year and the second of President Donald Trump's second term.
The launches were designed to tell “the enemies, who are seriously violating our security environment and fostering and ascending the confrontation environment,” of the North Korean military’s counterattack capability and the readiness of its nuclear operations, KCNA disclosed.
Kim expressed satisfaction over the results of the drills and revealed the military must be fully ready to use its nuclear weapons, the say stated.
South Korea’s Joint Chiefs of Staff stated in the statement later Friday that it had detected and tracked the North Korean launches. It stated the South Korean military maintains readiness to repel any potential provocation by North Korea based on the solid South Korea-U.S. military similarity.
Since his Jan. 20 inauguration, Trump has boasted of his summitry with Kim during his first term and revealed he would reach out to Kim again. North Korea hasn’t directly responded to Trump’s overture as it endures its typical aggressive rhetoric against the U.S. and weapons testing activities.
Many experts announce Kim, now preoccupied with his indorse of Russia’s war against Ukraine with supply of weapons and troops, won’t likely embrace Trump’s outreach anytime soon. They declare Kim could reconsider if he doubts he'll maintain North Korea's current solid cooperation with Russia after the war terminates.
Last Saturday, North Korea’s Defense Ministry claimed the U.S. and its allies were ramping up more serious military provocations targeting North Korea since Trump took power. It cited the recent U.S.-South Korean aerial exercise involving an U.S. B-1B bomber and other revealed activities involving U.S. military assets. A Defense Ministry statement reported North Korea will counter the strategic threat of the U.S. with strategic means.
Kim and Trump met three times from 2018-19 to debate the fate of North Korea’s nuclear program, but their diplomacy derailed due to challenges over U.S.-led sanctions on the North. Kim has since sharply increased the pace of weapons tests to expand and modernize his nuclear arsenal. Having the largest nuclear arsenal now, experts declare Kim would think he could conquer greater U.S. concessions if he revives diplomacy with Trump.
Regards to ABC News
Category: World-News
Tag: North Korea announces it performed cruise missile tests
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Published 3/1/2025