North Korea test fires long range cruise missiles as Kim pushes Nuclear deterrence

North Korea said on Monday it test-fired long-range strategic cruise missiles into the sea, describing the launches as a demonstration of its nuclear deterrence capability, days after it revealed apparent progress in building its first nuclear-powered submarine.

The official Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) reported that the missiles were launched off the country’s west coast on Sunday, with leader Kim Jong Un personally overseeing the exercise. Kim expressed “great satisfaction” with the test, KCNA said, calling it a responsible act of self-defence aimed at deterring what Pyongyang views as external security threats.

South Korea’s Joint Chiefs of Staff confirmed that it had detected several cruise missile launches from the North’s capital region on Sunday morning. Seoul said it remains fully prepared to counter any provocation through its military readiness and alliance with the United States.

While United Nations Security Council resolutions ban North Korea from testing ballistic missiles , cruise missile launches are not explicitly prohibited. However, South Korean and US military officials regard them as a serious threat because cruise missiles can fly at low altitudes, manoeuvre unpredictably, and evade radar detection. Defence analysts say North Korea could use such weapons to target US warships and aircraft carriers in the event of a conflict on the Korean Peninsula.

Sunday’s launches are part of a broader pattern of intensified weapons testing by North Korea in recent weeks. Last week, Pyongyang test-fired new anti-aircraft missiles off its east coast and released images showing what appeared to be a largely completed hull of a nuclear-powered submarine under development. North Korea has implied that the submarine would be capable of carrying nuclear-armed missiles, a step that would significantly enhance its second-strike capability.

A nuclear-powered submarine is among a range of advanced weapons systems Kim has pledged to develop, citing what he describes as persistent US-led security threats. Other projects outlined in recent years include solid-fuel intercontinental ballistic missiles, hypersonic weapons, and military reconnaissance satellites.

Some experts believe North Korea’s deepening alignment with Russia may be accelerating these ambitions. Pyongyang has reportedly supplied troops and military equipment to support President Vladimir Putin ’s war in Ukraine, raising speculation that it could be receiving sensitive military or nuclear-related technologies in return.

Observers also warn that North Korea could step up weapons demonstrations in the coming months ahead of a planned congress of the ruling Workers’ Party early next year, a key political event where Kim typically outlines strategic priorities.

Since the collapse of high-profile nuclear talks with then US President Donald Trump in 2019, North Korea has largely abandoned diplomacy in favour of expanding and diversifying its nuclear arsenal. However, in a rare conciliatory signal, Kim suggested in September that he could consider resuming dialogue if Washington abandons what he called its “delusional obsession with denuclearisation.”

Analysts say Kim may believe that a stronger and more varied nuclear force will give him greater leverage in any future negotiations with the United States, even as regional tensions continue to rise.