Kim Jong Un Inspects Destroyer Missile Test; Expert: North Korea Takes Lessons from Iran War
North Korean state media reported that leader Kim Jong Un inspected a missile test from a naval destroyer on the 12th. The test included two strategic cruise missiles that flew for over two hours and an anti-ship missile that flew for about 33 minutes, all accurately hitting targets in the Yellow Sea. An expert analyzed that this move aims to message the U.S. and reflects that North Korea is learning from the war in Iran, with its anti-ship missiles designed to carry tactical nuclear warheads.
📋 Article Processing Timeline
- 📰 Published: April 14, 2026 at 18:12
- 🔍 Collected: April 14, 2026 at 18:31 (19 min after Published)
- 🤖 AI Analyzed: April 14, 2026 at 20:42 (2h 10m after Collected)
(Central News Agency, Seoul, 14th, Comprehensive Foreign Report) North Korea's Korean Central News Agency reported today that North Korean leader Kim Jong Un inspected the latest test launch of strategic cruise missiles and anti-ship missiles from a naval destroyer on the 12th of this month. Experts believe this move is intended to send a message to the U.S. and reflects that North Korea is learning from the war in Iran. According to the state-run Korean Central News Agency (KCNA), two strategic cruise missiles each flew for over two hours, and an anti-ship missile flew for about 33 minutes. KCNA stated that these missiles "flew along the preset flight path over the West Sea of Korea (also known as the Yellow Sea) and hit the target with extremely high precision." The test was conducted by the Choe Hyon, one of North Korea's two active 5000-ton class destroyers, both of which were launched last year, demonstrating Kim Jong Un's determination to strengthen the country's naval capabilities. KCNA noted that Kim Jong Un also received a briefing on the weapon system plans for two other destroyers under construction, designated as No. 3 and No. 4. Kim Jong Un was reportedly "very satisfied with the strengthening of our army's strategic operational readiness" and reiterated that enhancing North Korea's nuclear deterrent is the "most important priority task." Lim Eul-chul, a professor at the Institute for Far Eastern Studies at Kyungnam University in South Korea, stated: "Continuously conducting similar tests from warships sends a direct message to Washington that North Korea could effectively paralyze the U.S. fleet and aircraft carriers in wartime." Lim added: "The most significant difference between North Korea and Iran is that Pyongyang's anti-ship cruise missiles are designed to be capable of carrying tactical nuclear warheads." He said: "North Korea is taking lessons from the war in Iran." (Compiled by: Hung Pei-ying) 1150414
FAQ
What weapons did North Korea test this time?
North Korea tested two strategic cruise missiles and one anti-ship missile from the 'Choe Hyon' destroyer.
How do experts interpret the intention of this missile test?
Experts believe it is a direct message to the United States about North Korea's capability to paralyze the U.S. fleet in wartime, and they note that North Korea's missiles can carry tactical nuclear warheads, showing it is learning lessons from the war in Iran.