N Korea test-fires cruise missiles to show ‘nuclear force’

During a rehearsal on Thursday, North Korea launched four strategic cruise missiles into the East Sea from Kim Chaek in the North Hamgyong province to show off the “war posture of the DPRK nuclear battle force,” according to the Korean Central News Agency (KCNA).
Four “Hwasal-2 strategic cruise missiles,” according to the press report, were fired from Kim Chaek by a division of the North’s strategic cruise missile unit. The military drills between the US and South Korea earlier this week were followed by the launches. The four cruise missiles travelled 2,000 kilometres in elliptical and eight-shaped flight orbits for 10,208 to 10,224 seconds before striking the predetermined target in the East Sea of Korea, according to the report.
“The drill reconfirmed the reliability of the weapon system and examined the rapid response posture of strategic cruise missile units that constitute one of major forces of the DPRK nuclear deterrent,” KCNA said.
“The drill clearly demonstrated once again the war posture of the DPRK nuclear combat force bolstering up in every way its deadly nuclear counterattack capability against the hostile forces,” it added.
South Korea’s military said it was analysing various possibilities, including whether North Korea’s claim of the launches was true or not, media report said.
In a statement,