A spokesperson for South Korea’s defense leadership commented on North Korea’s recent claims about long-range strategic cruise missiles designed to simulate a nuclear attack, suggesting the assertions may be overstated. The statement came amid ongoing regional assessments of the North’s testing activities.
Officials cited by a state news agency in the region indicated that not all launches achieved their intended outcomes. The interlocutor emphasized that while some tests appeared marginally successful, the overall results of the morning launch sequence did not meet every objective described by Pyongyang.
Two long-range missiles, reported by the Korean Central News Agency, were part of a coordinated exercise on the morning of September 2 local time. The missiles were described as incorporating warheads that imitate nuclear payloads for the purposes of drills and capability demonstrations.
Only imagery showing one of the rockets in flight was publicly circulated online. As part of the ongoing drills, the participating unit demonstrated the ability to complete the assigned mission, according to the release. The missiles reportedly traveled approximately 1,500 kilometers along an eight-shaped trajectory before dispersing at an altitude of about 150 meters near the target area.
In the lead-up to these tests, North Korea is reported to have directed similar cruise missile activities toward regions in the Yellow Sea, a location frequently referenced in current regional security assessments.
Earlier iterations of the exercises involved simulated nuclear attacks on the South, reflecting a pattern of repeated drills that analysts say aim to convey strategic messaging rather than immediate battlefield deployment. North Korea’s public remarks about these tests have drawn scrutiny from observers across the region who monitor ballistic and cruise missile development and the broader impact on regional stability.