Kim Jong Un's 'War Preparations' Heighten US Concerns Following Fourth Cruise Missile Launch In North Korea

North Korea launched its fourth series of cruise missiles in two weeks, following Kim Jong Un’s call to intensify “war preparations” after visiting a naval shipyard.

Several cruise missiles were launched toward North Korea’s west coast around 11 a.m. on Friday, according to South Korea’s joint chiefs of staff, reported Bloomberg.

U.S. and South Korean intelligence are analyzing the test, as Kim’s regime typically discloses launch details a day later.

Also Read: Kim Jong Un Boosts North Korea’s Arms Arsenal With Third Cruise Missile Launch In A Week

The North Korean leader, as reported by the official Korean Central News Agency, inspected warships under construction at the Nampho Dockyard on the west coast, the Bloomberg report added. 

In the previous month, he observed a test of a new submarine-launched cruise missile and examined a nuclear-powered submarine in development.

Kim’s recent missile tests may be a demonstration of North Korea’s diverse strike capabilities, creating strategic challenges for the U.S. and allies like Japan and South Korea, the report read. 

Also See: Kim Jong Un Conducts Second Test Of New Strategic Cruise Missiles Within A Week: ‘Nuclear Weaponization Of The Navy Is An Urgent Task’

These capabilities allegedly include naval missile launches and the introduction of an alleged underwater drone for potential nuclear strikes, a claim that has been met with skepticism by weapons experts.

The recent missile launches add to the growing tensions on the Korean Peninsula. This is the latest in a series of provocative actions by North Korea, including multiple cruise missile launches.

North Korea’s economy has been experiencing a quiet resurgence, partly due to its sales of arms and missiles to Russia, according to Bloomberg.

Read This: Kim Jong Un’s Economy Gets A Boost After North Korea’s Sales Of Arms And Missiles To Russia

Meanwhile, Kim has issued a stark warning regarding the country’s worsening food crisis, emphasizing the urgent need to address the shortages. 

Kim, during a speech at the 19th Enlarged Meeting of the Political Bureau of the 8th Central Committee of the Workers’ Party of Korea, stressed that the failure to provide the populace with basic necessities, including food, is a “serious political issue.”

This content was partially produced with the help of AI tools and was reviewed and published by Benzinga editors.

Photo: Shutterstock