N. Korea Tests Cluster Warhead in Short-Range Missile Launches

(MENAFN) According to reports, North Korea has conducted a weapons test involving a cluster-type warhead following the launch of multiple short-range ballistic missiles toward waters east of the Korean Peninsula.

State media said the country fired five tactical Hwasongpho-11 Ra surface-to-surface missiles, with the launches reportedly overseen by North Korean leader Kim Jong Un. The test was described as an evaluation of the performance and effectiveness of newly developed warhead systems.

The reported objective of the exercise was to assess the characteristics of cluster munitions and fragmentation-type warheads integrated into tactical missile systems. Officials said the missiles struck a designated target area located near an island at a distance of roughly 136 kilometers, with what was described as a high level of impact concentration.

Kim Jong Un reportedly expressed satisfaction with the results of the test, characterizing it as significant for the country’s military development goals.

Regional monitoring authorities in South Korea and Japan detected the launches early in the morning, noting that the missiles were fired from an area in North Korea and traveled across a short-range trajectory toward the East Sea. South Korean defense officials stated they are maintaining surveillance and readiness in coordination with allied forces in response to any potential escalation.

Japanese defense authorities also confirmed the missile activity, reporting that the projectiles fell outside Japan’s exclusive economic zone and that no damage or casualties were recorded.

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