North Korea fires multiple cruise missiles off west coast for fourth time in 10 days

Fourth test of cruise missile comes as Kim Jong-un calls for war preparedness of naval force

This undated photo released by North Korea’s official Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) on February 2, 2024 shows North Korean leader Kim Jong Un (C) inspecting the Nampho Dockyard in North Korea (KCNA VIA KNS/AFP via Getty Image)

North Korea on Friday fired multiple cruise missiles into waters off its western coast, the South Korean military said.

This is North’s fourth wave of cruise missile tests in less than 10 days. The launches came hours after North Korean leader Kim Jong-un reiterated his calls to strengthen the country’s naval force for “stepping up the war preparations”.

South Korea’s Joint Chiefs of Staff said they were still analysing the launches that happened on Friday around 11am local time.

Pyongyang began its latest salvo of cruise missile launches on 24 January when it tested its new Pulhwasal-3-31 missile, followed by its another test on 26 January. It tested the Hwasal-2 systems on 30 January.

The details of the latest launch are yet to emerge.

Flanked by military officers, Mr Kim visited a shipyard and inspected the progress of “production processes and shipbuilding site”, reported state media KCNA.

“Strengthening naval force is the most important issue in pushing ahead with war preparations”, KCNA cited Mr Kim as saying during his visit to Nampho dockyard, a military shipbuilding base also referred to as Nampo.

The leader was briefed on various warship constructions for a new “huge plan” decided by the North Korean leadership, KCNA said, without elaborating.

North Korean leader Kim Jong-un visits a shipyard in Nampho (AP)

The North Korean leader in recent months has set his sights on its naval firepower with a vow to develop a nuclear-armed navy. Military experts say North’s current fleet is from Soviet-era and aging and diesel-powered submarines are only capable of launching torpedoes and mines.

The fresh barrage of tests have sparked concerns among analysts that it could be linked to North Korea’s defence partnership with Russia amid Washington and Seoul’s claims that Pyongyang has already shipped munitions and artillery weapons to Moscow.

South Korean officials said it was likely the first time that North Korean state media divulged the information about Mr Kim’s military-related inspection in Namph.

The country’s eastern shipyard of Sinpo has remained the military’s main hub for building advanced naval vessels like submarines.

Kim Jong -un calls for war readiness as he visits Nampho shipyard (via REUTERS)

“By making military threats routine, North Korea is trying to create a sense of insecurity among South Korean people to undermine trust in their government and to attract international attention to build an atmosphere in which its demands must be accepted to resolve the crisis on the Korean Peninsula,” Kim Inae, spokesperson of South Korea‘s Unification Ministry, said.

The latest launch came as US Special Operations Command said it had completed training with South Korea‘s special operations forces on Friday.

The South Korean army said that its special operation troops and US Green Berets conducted a 10-day long exercise in a region near the country’s capital, Seoul. It was the latest combined drill that armies of the US, South Korea and also Japan took part in.

North Korea reacts furiously to these exercises launching its own missile tests and even giving ultimatums to Washington.