North Korea Conducts ‘Nuclear Counterattack’ Cruise Missile Test

The North Korean regime tested four of what it calls a “Hwasal-2 strategic cruise missile” on Thursday.

These long-range cruise missiles were launched from Kim Chaek City on the country’s east coast as part of “fatal nuclear counterattack” drills on “the hostile forces,” according to state media. An image attached with the report showed a white missile, roughly matching the appearance of another launched in Jan. 2022. 

The missiles flew a distance of around 2,000 km each in “oval and figure-8 patterns,” before landing in the East Sea.

“The nuclear combat forces of the DPRK are strengthening their ability to conduct fatal nuclear counterattacks on the hostile forces in every way, and their preparations for action were clearly demonstrated once again,” state media reported.

South Korea and Japan did not announce detection of the test prior to North Korea’s disclosure via state media, something that has occurred numerous times in the past, and it’s unclear whether they had detected it.

On Wednesday, South Korea and the U.S. held joint tabletop exercises in Washington to practice responses to hypothetical Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) nuclear use scenarios.