N. Korea fires strategic cruise missiles, possibly from nuclear attack submarine

North Korea said Thursday it test-fired two types of strategic cruise missile in the East Sea the previous day, in what may be the first launch from a 3,000-ton-class submarine it unveiled in 2023. "The test-fire aimed to examine the current mobilized posture of the underwater combat systems and contributed to getting the Navy skilled in performing its strategic missions and showcasing high reliability, trustworthiness and ability of the war deterrents of the DPRK," the North's Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) said. DPRK stands for North Korea's official name, the Democratic People's Republic of Korea. The test was overseen by Kim Jong-sik, a member of the Central Military Commission of the Workers' Party of Korea, Jang Chang-ha, director-general of the Missile Administration and the Navy's underwater weapon system engineers, the report said. Experts said the missiles appeared to be launched from what the North called its first tactical nuclear attack submarine, Hero Kim Kun Ok. North Korea unveiled the vessel in September 2023 and described it as one of the "core underwater offensive me