State media categorized the cruise missiles as "strategic," a term that typically suggests capability for nuclear warheads, although Pyongyang provided no technical specifications for the platform. This exercise follows hypersonic missile launches on Sept. 20 and Oct. 3 and occurs as North Korea's 2026 weapons tests have already surpassed its total for 2025. The Missile Administration of the DPRK stated the tests aimed to assess the readiness of underwater combat systems and demonstrate the reliability of its nuclear deterrent.
Wednesday, October 21, 2026
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North Korea’s Largest Submarine Fires 2 Missile Types in First Test
War6 days ago
The Hero Kim Kun Ok conducted its initial combat system evaluation in the Sea of Japan by firing strategic cruise weapons from both a torpedo tube and a vertical launch system on Oct. 14. South Korea's military tracked both launches from start to finish, as the vessel operated from a submerged position. The modified Romeo-class diesel submarine, commissioned in 2023, is the largest in the North Korean navy and is equipped with approximately 10 vertical launch tubes.
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