February** Dynamic Incentive Program
SEOUL: North Korea launched multiple cruise missiles into the West Sea on Friday (Feb. 2), and North Korea continues to conduct a new round of tests as the Kim Jong-un regime ramps up "war preparations," the Seoul military said.
The Joint Chiefs of Staff in Seoul said the military spotted multiple unidentified cruise missiles fired into the sea off the country's west coast "around 11 a.m. (2 p.m. GMT)," Seoul said.
The Joint Chiefs of Staff said in a statement that South Korea "has worked closely with the United States to strengthen surveillance."
The military is "closely monitoring North Korean forces for signs of increased activity," the statement said, adding that they are "closely analyzing" the launch.
Friday's launch came three days after a nuclear-armed North Korea conducted a test launch of a so-called strategic cruise missile.
On Sunday, Kim also oversaw the launch of two Pulhwasal-3-31 missiles, a new strategic cruise missile allegedly launched from a North Korean submarine.
Pyongyang also claimed this month that it had tested an "underwater nuclear system" and a solid-fuel hypersonic ballistic missile.
Unlike ballistic missiles, the current UN sanctions against Pyongyang do not prohibit the testing of cruise missiles.
Cruise missiles tend to be jet-propelled and fly at a lower altitude than more advanced ballistic missiles, making them more difficult to detect and intercept.
Analysts have warned that North Korea may test cruise missiles before sending them to Russia for use in Ukraine, with Washington and Seoul claiming Kim Jong-un had sent ** to Moscow as part of a possible illegal deal that is prohibited by a series of U.N. sanctions.
Kim Jong-un carried out the latest launch after an inspection at a naval shipyard, officials said on Friday, and he wants to bolster maritime forces as part of "preparations for war."
In recent weeks, Kim Jong-un has declared South Korea the "main enemy" of his country, abandoning institutions dedicated to reunification and outreach, and threatening to respond to "even 0.."001 mm "territorial violations to wage war."
Kim Jong-un said at the Nampo shipyard that "strengthening the naval forces is the most important issue at present to reliably defend the country's maritime sovereignty and strengthen war readiness," Kim Jong-un said at the Nampo shipyard, according to the North Korean news agency. ”
Kim Jong-un's strategic wishlist, presented at a major party congress in 2021, included a nuclear-powered submarine in addition to hypersonic warheads, spy satellites and solid-fuel intercontinental ballistic missiles.
During a visit to the shipyard, Kim Jong-un was briefed on the various **s being built and the readiness of the "new huge plan" issued by the ruling party.
Details of the plan were not provided.
According to KCNA, Kim Jong-un "expressed the expectation that the workers of the shipyard will be able to successfully build the main ** of the world level."
North Korea launched what it called its first "tactical nuclear attack submarine" last year, and the Seoul military said at the time that the submarine looked inoperable.
Analysts say the ship appears to have been converted from an existing diesel-electric submarine originally designed in the 50s of the 20th century and questions its limitations and vulnerability as a platform.
The United States has stationed about 30,000 troops in South Korea to help it defend itself against military threats from Pyongyang.