North Korea launches cruise missiles amid tensions with Japan and South Korea

North Korea launches cruise missiles amid tensions with Japan and South Korea The tests came hours after leader Kim Jong Un inspected unspecified naval projects at a shipyard in Nampho on the west coast. North Korea launched cruise missiles into the sea on Friday. It was North Korea's fourth round of cruise missile tests in 2024. The tests came hours after leader Kim Jong Un inspected unspecified naval projects at a shipyard in Nampho on the west coast, he said. the AP news agency. South Korea's military said it detected more missiles, but did not immediately provide a specific number or an assessment of their flight characteristics. The Joint Chiefs of Staff said the U.S. and South Korean militaries were analyzing North Korean missile launches in the Western Sea. Watch complete coverage of Budget 2024 only on HT. Explore now! The launches took place against a backdrop of tensions with South Korea, Japan and the United States. In recent months, Kim has highlighted North Korea's efforts to build a nuclear-armed navy. North Korea's official Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) paraphrased Kim as saying that strengthening its naval force "represents the most important issue for reliably defending the country's maritime sovereignty and intensifying preparations" for war. KCNA did not specify the types of warships being built at Nampho, but said they were tied to a five-year military development plan established at a ruling party congress in early 2021. In meetings in 2021, Kim revealed an extensive wish list of advanced military assets, including nuclear-powered submarines and nuclear missiles that can be launched from water. During his inspections in Nampho, Kim checked the progress of its naval projects and remaining technological challenges. He ordered officials and workers to "unconditionally" complete the efforts by the plan's deadline, which extends to 2025. “By making military threats routine, North Korea is trying to create a sense of insecurity among the South Korean people to undermine confidence in its government and attract international attention to create an atmosphere in which its demands must be accepted to resolve the crisis in Korea. Peninsula,” said Kim Inae, spokeswoman for South Korea's Ministry of Unification.