North Korea fires cruise missile

[Anchor]

North Korea has carried out its first missile provocation since President Trump's inauguration.

They also stated that they would take 'extreme countermeasures' against the United States.

However, the level of provocation has been lowered, and there was no specific mention of President Trump.

Reporter Jang Hyuk-jin has the story.

[Report]

This is the strategic cruise missile launched by North Korea.

It is similar to the 'Pulhwasal 3-31 type' fired a year ago, but the launch angle has changed vertically.

It appears that they applied 'cold launch' technology, which ignites the engine in the air after surfacing from underwater, testing their ability to launch stealthily from submarines in the future.

Kim Jong-un, who observed the launch, evaluated that "the means of war deterrence have been completed."

[Korean Central TV: "(The cruise missile) flew along an elliptical and figure-eight trajectory over a distance of 1,500 km, hitting and striking the target."]

Earlier this month, the U.S. and South Korea conducted aerial drills and counter-training against North Korea's long-range artillery, but North Korea has always reacted strongly to joint exercises.

In a statement released alongside the launch, the North Korean Foreign Ministry pointed to the United States, stating, "As long as it denies North Korea's sovereignty, extreme countermeasures are the best option."

However, there was no mention of President Trump, who recently sent conciliatory messages to North Korea.

Additionally, it is noteworthy that they chose a cruise missile, which is not subject to UN sanctions, instead of a ballistic missile for their first launch since Trump's inauguration.

[Hong Min/Senior Research Fellow, Korea Institute for National Unification: "Since it is right after President Trump's inauguration, it seems to be a move to showcase their strategic deterrence without overly provoking the United States."]

Our military stated that they were aware of the signs of this launch in advance and emphasized that response measures can be taken against any provocation.

This is KBS News, Jang Hyuk-jin.