North Korea said Monday it successfully test-fired long-range cruise missile over the weekend, said the state-run Korean Central News Agency (KCNA). The missiles — newly developed by the Academy of National Defense Science and fired on Saturday and Sunday — "flew for 7,580 seconds along an oval and pattern-8 flight orbits in the air above the territorial land and waters" before "hitting targets 1,500 km away," the KCNA said. North Korean leader Kim Jong-un did not oversee the tests, and they were observed by Pak Jong-chon, member of the Presidium of the ruling Workers' Party, the report said. The development of the long-range cruise missile provides a strategic weapon of great significance in meeting the key target of the five-year plan for the development of the defense science and the weapon system, the KCNA added. In March, Pyongyang test-fired two new tactical guided missiles. The development of this weapon system "holds strategic significance of possessing another effective deterrence means for more reliably guaranteeing the security of our state and strongly containing the military maneuvers of the hostile forces against the DPRK," the state media noted. The development of the long-range cruise missile "has been pushed forward according to the scientific and reliable weapon system development process for the past two years" and detailed tests of missile parts, scores of engine ground thrust tests, various flight tests, control and guidance tests, warhead power tests, etc. were conducted with success, according to the report. "In all, the efficiency and practicality of the weapon system operation was confirmed to be excellent," it said. Pak stressed the need for the field of the national defense science to go all out to increase the defense capabilities, the war deterrence of the country and keep making achievements in meeting the grand and long-term targets of securing war deterrence, the report said. Meanwhile, the US military reacted to the tests quickly, stating North Korea's test-firing of long-range cruise missiles shows the threats the country poses to the region and beyond,, Yonhap News Agency reported. "We are aware of reports of DPRK cruise missile launches. We will continue to monitor the situation and are consulting closely with our allies and partners," the US Indo-Pacific Command said in a statement released hours after the North's announcement. "This activity highlights DPRK's continuing focus on developing its military program and the threats that poses to its neighbors and the international community," the statement said. "The US commitment to the defense of South Korea and Japan remains ironclad". The latest firing marks the third known major missile test by Pyongyang so far this year. On March 21, the North fired two cruise missiles off the west coast, followed by the launch of two short-range ballistic missiles into the sea four days later. — Agencies
