North Korea said it launched two kinds of strategic cruise missiles from a submarine into the Sea of Japan in a test on Wednesday, October 14.
The Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) said the country's missile administration conducted the launches.
"The test-fire aimed to examine the current mobilized posture of the underwater combat systems and contributed to getting the navy skilled in performing its strategic missions and showcasing high reliability, trustworthiness and ability of the war deterrents of the DPRK," the missile administration said.
KCNA released images showing a surfaced submarine and missiles emerging from the water at different angles.
North Korea has previously used a purpose-built submerged launch platform, and the launch vessel was not named. NK News said a KCNA photo suggested that a converted missile submarine may have been used, apparently for the first time.
"Angled launches, on the other hand, allow missiles to fly at lower altitudes from the outset, making them harder for missile defence systems to detect and intercept," Hong Min of the Korea Institute for National Unification told AFP.
South Korea's Joint Chiefs of Staff (JCS) did not publicly announce the launches.
"We were aware of the launch-related activity yesterday," the JCS public affairs chief told Aju Press. "We do not normally announce cruise missile launches. We only announce ballistic missile launches."
Pyongyang uses the term "strategic" for systems it associates with nuclear warhead capability.
North Korea last disclosed a test of a cruise missile launched from a submarine in January 2024, when it reported firing the Pulhwasal-3-31 weapon.