This is a developing story. Please check back for updates. (Last updated Nov. 1, 2026 at 10:56 a.m. KST with a comment from South Korea’s Joint Chiefs of Staff)

North Korea tested a cluster warhead intended for tactical ballistic missiles on Saturday, state media reported, outlining plans to enable military units to use four categories of the weapons by the end of the year.

Pyongyang’s Missile Administration conducted the Oct. 31 test to assess the warhead’s combat adaptation and destructive power, according to the Korean Central News Agency (KCNA).

The administration’s Ballistic Missile System Institute and Warhead Institute claimed the