Pyongyang: North Korea has tested cluster bombs in its latest launch of surface-to-surface ballistic missiles, supervised by leader Kim Jong-un, state media reported Monday. The Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) published the report of the launch of the Hwasong-11 Ra tactical ballistic missile a day after South Korea's military detected multiple short-range ballistic missiles launched toward the East Sea at around 6:10 a.m. from North Korea's Sinpho area.
According to Yonhap News Agency, the KCNA said the purpose of the test-launch was to evaluate the power of the "cluster bomb warhead and fragmentation mine warhead" fitted to the weapon system. Five missiles struck a target area near an island measuring about 13 hectares some 136 kilometers away with "very high density," fully demonstrating their combat capability, the KCNA report said.
Photos released showed Kim's daughter Ju-ae, who is believed to be being groomed as his successor, accompanying him at Sunday's weapon test. Kim expressed "great satisfaction" over the test-launch, emphasizing the significance of enhancing the high-density striking capability to quell specific target areas as well as improving high-precision striking capabilities.
The report also highlighted the development and introduction of various cluster bomb warheads to meet the operational demand of the Korean People's Army more effectively. Kim encouraged the scientific research groups responsible for weapons development, hoping they would continue to acquire and update various ultra-modern technologies necessary for the combat preparedness of the army.
Key figures attending the test launch alongside Kim included Kim Jong-sik, a member of the Central Military Commission; Jang Chang-ha, chief of the Missile Administration; and front-line military unit commanders.
This latest launch followed North Korea's test-firing of multiple short-range ballistic missiles on April 8. At that time, state media claimed the country test-fired a tactical ballistic missile tipped with a cluster bomb warhead, claiming it could "reduce to ashes" targeted areas with the highest-density power.
South Korea's Office of National Security condemned the latest North Korean missile launch as a violation of U.N. Security Council resolutions, calling for an immediate halt to such provocations.
The report suggests that Sunday's test involved the launch of cluster bombs and airborne fragmentation mines fitted to missile warheads. The KCNA also released photos of a missile being launched from the edge of a seawall and releasing cluster bombs that hit an islet, marking the first time the country has disclosed images of a cluster bomb test.
It also represents North Korea's first official reference to the Hwasong-11 Ra ballistic missile. The 136-km range demonstrated in Sunday's launch could potentially reach Seoul and as far as the U.S. military base in Pyeongtaek and Osan Air Base if fired southward, according to Hong Min, a senior researcher at the Korea Institute for National Unification.
The missile fills the gap in range between North Korea's multiple rocket launchers and short-range missiles, allowing it to target the Seoul metropolitan area. Yoon Min-ho, the South Korean unification ministry's spokesperson, assessed that the test launch seems to be part of North Korea's efforts to advance a defense development plan adopted at the recent ninth congress of the ruling Workers' Party of Korea.
During the congress, Kim called for reinforcing the deployment of multiple rocket launchers and tactical missiles to counter South Korea. The spokesman also noted the rare attendance of several military commanders in charge of frontline units at the test.