Weapons
09 April 2026
NPR
North Korea says its latest weapons tests included missiles with cluster-bomb warheads
North Korea said Thursday its testing spree this week involved various new weapons systems, including ballistic missiles armed with cluster-bomb warheads, as it pushes to expand nuclear-capable forces aimed at rival South Korea. The report by North Korean state media came a day after South Korea's military detected North Korea firing multiple missiles from an eastern coastal area in its second round of launches in two days. North Korea's official Korean Central News Agency said the tests lasted three days starting Monday and also included demonstrations of anti-aircraft weapons, purported electromagnetic weapons systems, and carbon-fiber bombs. South Korea's Joint Chiefs of Staff said the missiles launched Wednesday flew 240 to 700 kilometers before falling into the sea, and detected at least one projectile launched Tuesday near Pyongyang. Japan's Defense Ministry confirmed none of the weapons fired Wednesday entered its exclusive economic zone, while the U.S. military stated the launches on Tuesday and Wednesday posed no immediate threat to the U.S. or its allies. KCNA reported the latest tests included cluster-munition warhead systems mounted on the nuclear-capable Hwasong-11 ballistic missiles, resembling Russia's Iskander missiles in low-altitude maneuverability to evade defenses. The report claimed these missiles could reduce targets covering 6.5–7 hectares to ashes with high-density power. South Korea's Joint Chiefs spokesperson declined to provide specific assessments but shared information with U.S. and Japanese counterparts. The launches intensified tensions between the Koreas, undermining South Korea's hopes for improved relations. Pyongyang's Foreign Ministry spokesperson called South Korea the North's 'most hostile enemy state,' mocking Seoul's liberal government for seeking dialogue, while Kim Jong Un has suspended diplomacy since 2019, accelerating nuclear missile development to threaten U.S. allies and the U.S. mainland. Kim has also strengthened ties with Russia, China, and other nations in regional confrontations. Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi is arriving in North Korea for a two-day visit as part of ongoing diplomacy.
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