North Korea
Why in News?
North Korea is in the news because it says it test-fired two types of submarine-launched strategic cruise missiles in the East Sea/Sea of Japan on October 14, 2026. The test signals Pyongyang’s push to build a sea-based nuclear deterrent and improve its Navy’s underwater strike capability.
Technical Specifications & Launch Methods
- Two Different Launch Mechanisms: South Korea’s Joint Chiefs of Staff (JCS) assessed that one missile was fired via a vertical launch system (VLS), while the other was fired through a conventional torpedo tube.
- Tactical Significance of Angles: The dual launch system allows North Korea to employ two distinct methods:
- Vertical launches allow missiles to climb steeply to potentially extend their range.
- Angled/Torpedo launches allow the missiles to fly at very low altitudes from the outset, making them far harder for radar and missile defence systems to detect and intercept.
- Identified Weapon Type: One of the missiles has been identified by analysts as the Pulhwasal-3-31, a strategic cruise missile model previously tested by North Korea from a land-based platform.
- Extended Flight Capabilities: The state media reports indicated that the missiles flew for more than two hours over the sea before accurately striking an island target.
Strategic Objectives & Implications
- Operational Deployment: Rather than framing it as a mere developmental test, North Korea described the event as a "routine mobilisation-readiness inspection," indicating the military is actively moving the submarine system toward full operational deployment.
- Surprise Attack Capability: Unlike ballistic missiles, jet-propelled cruise missiles fly horizontally at low altitudes. Launching them from underwater platforms makes pre-launch detection extremely difficult for the U.S. and South Korea, providing Pyongyang with enhanced stealth.
- Building a Second-Strike Capability: Leader Kim Jong Un has shifted significant defence focus toward building a nuclear-armed navy. Perfecting underwater launches provides North Korea with a viable "second-strike" capability—the capacity to retaliate even if their land-based launchers are destroyed.
Expert Skepticism & Current Assessment
- Limited Operational Capability: Security experts note that while this is a dangerous step forward, North Korea has yet to demonstrate long-range naval patrols, deep-submerged launches, or an operational submarine-launched ballistic missile (SLBM) system from this vessel.
- Geopolitical Leverage: Analysts believe the sudden surge in high-profile missile tests (including hypersonic tests on 20 September and 3 October) is aimed at gaining leverage against South Korea and pushing the U.S. to drop its denuclearisation prerequisites for future diplomacy.
