North Korea said Wednesday it conducted a strategic cruise missile launch drill the previous day off the country's west coast to check the "rapid counterattack posture" of the military, according to state-run media.
The firing of the Hwasal-2 was aimed at improving the military's "strategic striking capability," the official Korean Central News Agency said, without providing details such as the flight range or number of missiles launched.
South Korea's Yonhap News Agency said it was believed an optical component has been installed at the tip of the warhead of the Hwasal-2 missile for precision guidance.
The South Korean military said North Korea fired several cruise missiles into the Yellow Sea from the western city of Nampo on Tuesday morning, marking Pyongyang's third round of cruise missile launches in a week.
Pyongyang tested its new Pulhwasal-3-31 strategic cruise missile, believed to be capable of carrying nuclear warheads, on Sunday and Jan. 24.
KCNA said Tuesday's drill had no adverse effect on the security of neighboring countries.
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