North Korea Tests New Air Defense Missile System

North Korea announced that it tested a new air defense missile system and conducted a drill on guiding strikes with strategic cruise missiles, according to state media on Thursday, in the latest display of Pyongyang’s military capabilities. The tests are part of a series of intensive military exercises in recent weeks, which included cluster munitions, attack drones, precision-guided torpedoes, and a medium-range hypersonic missile. On Wednesday, the South Korean military announced that it had detected the launch of several missiles from the Sundo area in North Korea toward the Sea of Japan. Pyongyang has recently adopted a tougher stance toward Seoul following an incident involving the explosion of a land mine in the demilitarized zone between the two Koreas, and the sister of leader Kim Jong Un indicated this week that there is no desire to resume talks with Washington. The official Korean Central News Agency reported on Thursday that the newly designed air defense missile system underwent a launch test to verify its technical specifications. The agency noted that “the test confirmed the technical specifications and reliability of the new materials,” without providing details on the materials used. It added that the test also demonstrated the system’s ability to detect and track targets. The agency also stated that a sub-unit of a long-range strategic cruise missile unit in eastern North Korea conducted a drill on Wednesday to guide strikes. It confirmed that the unit “successfully completed its mission, targeting a virtual airfield using a long-range strategic cruise missile.”