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North Korea’s missile launch was test of railway-borne system to strike ‘threatening forces’
- The missiles flew 800km before striking a target in the sea off the country’s east coast
- The North Korean launches came the same day that South Korea tested a submarine-launched ballistic missile
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The missiles fired by North Korea on Wednesday were a test of a new “railway-borne missile system” designed as a potential counter-strike to any forces that threaten the country, state news agency KCNA reported on Thursday.
The missiles flew 800km (497 miles) before striking a target in the sea off North Korea’s east coast, KCNA said.
On Wednesday, South Korean and Japanese authorities announced they had detected the launch of two ballistic missiles from North Korea, just days after it tested a cruise missile that analysts said could have nuclear capabilities.
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The North Korean launches came the same day that South Korea tested a submarine-launched ballistic missile (SLBM), becoming the first country without nuclear weapons to develop such a system.
02:15
North Korea’s test launch of railway-borne missile sparks international alarm
North Korea’s test launch of railway-borne missile sparks international alarm
The two Koreas have been in an increasingly heated arms race, with both sides unveiling new, more capable missiles and other weapons.
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