DPRK conducts launching drill of strategic cruise missile

SEOUL -- The armed forces of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) conducted a launching drill of strategic cruise missile in waters off its west coast on Wednesday, the official Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) said Friday.

The Korean People's Army (KPA) fired two strategic cruise missiles, which traveled 1,587 km before hitting target, KCNA said.

The purpose of the launching drill is to inform the "enemies of the KPA's counterattack capability in any space and the readiness of its various nuke operation means, and to demonstrate the reliability of the state nuclear deterrence and make the strategic cruise missile subunits get adept in fulfilling their sudden firing mission," said the report.

Kim Jong-un, general secretary of the Workers' Party of Korea and president of the State Affairs of the DPRK, oversaw the launching drill, saying that "it is a responsible exercise of the DPRK's war deterrence to continuously test the reliability and operation of the components of its nuclear deterrence and demonstrate their might."

"It is the responsible mission and duty of the DPRK's nuclear armed forces to permanently defend the national sovereignty and security with the reliable nuclear shield by getting more thorough battle readiness of nuclear force and full preparedness for their use," Kim added.