[2nd Report] North Korea "Test Launch of Surface-to-Surface Tactical Guided Missile"... Kim Jong-un Absent

[Asia Economy Reporter Lee Ji-eun] North Korea announced that it has successfully conducted test launches of tactical guided missiles and long-range cruise missiles.

Korean Central News Agency reported on the 28th, "The National Defense Science Institute conducted test launches on January 25 and 27 to renew the long-range cruise missile system and to verify the explosive power of the operational warhead of the ground-to-ground (surface-to-surface) tactical guided missile, respectively."

It added, "The two launched tactical guided missiles precisely struck the target island, and it was confirmed that the explosive power of the operational warhead met the design requirements."

The media also belatedly reported the successful launch of the cruise missile fired on the 25th. It stated, "The two launched long-range cruise missiles flew for 9,137 seconds (2 hours, 35 minutes, and 17 seconds) along the set flight trajectory over the East Sea of Korea and hit the target island at the 1,800 km line," emphasizing, "The practical combat performance of the long-range cruise missile system reliably contributes to strengthening the country's war deterrence."

This is the first ballistic missile launch since North Korea hinted on the 20th that it would consider withdrawing the moratorium on nuclear tests and intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) launches. Some view this as a reaction to the appointment of Philip Goldberg, who was deeply involved in enforcing sanctions against North Korea during the Barack Obama administration, as the U.S. Ambassador to South Korea. The Joe Biden administration recently nominated Philip Goldberg, known as a 'hardliner on North Korea,' as the new U.S. Ambassador to South Korea. North Korea has been responding to the U.S. with a 'strong on strong, preemptive on preemptive' principle, and the U.S. ambassadorial nomination is clearly interpreted as 'strong on strong,' which is said to have influenced North Korea's sixth military provocation of the new year.

Meanwhile, North Korea announced that Kim Jong-un, General Secretary of the Workers' Party, inspected a military factory but did not disclose the date or location.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.