Why North Korea tested new cruise missiles days after a military parade



News Why North Korea tested new cruise missiles days after a military parade Tests may have aimed at boosting morale and building up capabilities, rather than sending message to US, experts say Chaewon Chung \| Jeongmin Kim September 13, 2021 SHARE COPY LINK FACEBOOK X LINKEDIN MASTODON KCNA \| Pak Jong Chon, seen here participating in a military parade in January, reportedly oversaw North Korean cruise missile tests over the weekend North Korea’s reported long-range cruise missile tests over the weekend sought to boost domestic morale but have potentially larger implications for its ongoing weapons development and geopolitical considerations, experts told NK News on Monday. North Korea’s state-run Rodong Sinmun newspaper reported on Monday that missiles tested on Sept. 11 and 12 flew 1,500 kilometers (932 miles) for over two hours. The report said the projectiles were a “strategic weapon” developed over the past two years. The weekend tests also appear to contribute to what experts have described as a concerning arms race on the Korean Peninsula following reports © Korea Risk Group. All rights reserved. No part of this content may be reproduced, distributed, or used for commercial purposes without prior written permission from Korea Risk Group. Get the Daily Update & Podcast Updates Start your day with the North Korea stories that matter most – as selected by Trending

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Why North Korea tested new cruise missiles days after a military parade

Tests may have aimed at boosting morale and building up capabilities, rather than sending message to US, experts say

Chaewon Chung | Jeongmin Kim September 13, 2021

Why North Korea tested new cruise missiles days after a military parade

KCNA | Pak Jong Chon, seen here participating in a military parade in January, reportedly oversaw North Korean cruise missile tests over the weekend

North Korea’s reported long-range cruise missile tests over the weekend sought to boost domestic morale but have potentially larger implications for its ongoing weapons development and geopolitical considerations, experts told NK News on Monday.

North Korea’s state-run Rodong Sinmun newspaper reported on Monday that missiles tested on Sept. 11 and 12 flew 1,500 kilometers (932 miles) for over two hours. The report said the projectiles were a “strategic weapon” developed over the past two years.

The weekend tests also appear to contribute to what experts have described as a concerning arms race on the Korean Peninsula following reports

About the Authors

Chaewon Chung

Chaewon Chung covers U.S., Chinese, and Japanese politics and national security in relation to North Korea. She previously worked at Coda Story covering disinformation and technology with a focus on the East Asia.

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Jeongmin Kim

Jeongmin Kim is Executive Director at Korea Risk Group, based in Seoul. She covers inter-Korean relations and North and South Korean foreign and military affairs. Kim has covered the 2022 ROK presidential election on the ground, and prior to joining NK News, she worked for the CSIS Korea Chair in Washington D.C. and Reuters news agency’s Seoul bureau.

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