Seoul:North Korea has announced the test-firing of a new air defense missile system and conducted a strike drill using a long-range strategic cruise missile, marking its fourth weapons test in just one week. The announcement was made by state media on Thursday, following the detection of missile launches by South Korea's Joint Chiefs of Staff.

According to Yonhap News Agency, the North Korean report followed the South Korean Joint Chiefs of Staff's observation of multiple missile launches toward the East Sea from the Sondok area in South Hamgyong Province early Wednesday. The test, conducted by the Missile Administration, aimed to confirm the technical capabilities of the new air defense system.

The Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) stated that the test-fire validated several technical specifications, including the projectile's reliability, its intelligent multiple guided mode, and the air-defense missile system's target identification, tracking capabilities, and detection information processing.

In addition to the defense missile test, North Korea conducted a strike drill with a long-range strategic cruise missile, targeting a virtual airport. This drill was executed by a firepower subunit of the long-range strategic cruise missile unit stationed in the eastern region.

The South Korean Joint Chiefs of Staff reported that the missiles traveled less than 300 kilometers, leaving open the possibility they could be close-range ballistic missiles. The launch coincided with statements from Kim Yo-jong, the sister of North Korean leader Kim Jong-un, who criticized a U.S. investigation accusing North Korea of stealing over $6 billion in cryptocurrency from Binance.

North Korea's latest tests appear to be a response to the ongoing South Korea-U.S. air drills known as Freedom Flag. Earlier, Kim Jong-sik, a member of the Central Military Commission, had criticized the joint military exercises, labeling them as provocations.

This recent activity is part of a series of tests that began with the firing of a 600-millimeter "ultra-precision" multiple rocket launcher last Thursday, followed by tests of a cluster bomb and a "dispersal warhead" for a strategic cruise missile in the days since. The official newspaper of North Korea's ruling party, the Rodong Sinmun, did not cover these events.

Source Yonhap News Agency