North Korea has tested a cluster-bomb warhead designed for tactical ballistic missiles, with state media claiming that the weapon can devastate a target area measuring up to 13 hectares. The test, conducted on Saturday, October 31, was aimed at assessing the warhead's combat suitability and destructive capability, according to the Korean Central News Agency (KCNA).
The country's Missile Administration said its research institutes had confirmed that a Standard Type 2 cluster-bomb warhead could turn an area of 12 to 13 hectares into ashes at its highest-density power. The administration's general director said the warheads had been classified into four categories according to their intended purposes.
"Within this year we will enable units to select and use all those types according to operational aims and specific features of targets," the official told KCNA, indicating that North Korea intends to make the different types available to its military by the end of 2026.
Military activity intensifies
The latest test is part of a series of weapons demonstrations by Pyongyang in recent weeks. North Korea has also trialled attack drones, a new precision-guided torpedo system and an intermediate-range hypersonic missile.
South Korea's military said the latest missile was launched towards the Yellow Sea from an area near Chongju, in the North's north-western region. The South Korean Joint Chiefs of Staff said it had monitored the activities leading up to the launch and remained on alert in coordination with the United States.
"Under close information sharing between South Korea and the United States, (we) tracked relevant activities before North Korea's missile launch and maintained a readiness posture," the Joint Chiefs of Staff said on Sunday, a day after the test.
North Korean leader Kim Jong Un did not attend Saturday's test. However, he had overseen an earlier trial of cluster-bomb warheads fitted to a ballistic missile in April, accompanied by his daughter, Ju Ae. The April test involved the Hwasong-11 Ra tactical ballistic missile.
The latest demonstration also follows North Korea's launch of around 10 ballistic missiles from its east coast towards the sea on October 29, coinciding with German Chancellor Friedrich Merz's visit to South Korea. Pyongyang has also held a drone exhibition. Analysts have viewed the recent activity as part of a broader effort to modernise the country's armed forces. North Korea's military involvement in the war in Ukraine alongside Russia has also given its forces exposure to modern combat, according to reports.
Seoul, Washington and Tokyo reiterate denuclearisation call
The weapons test comes amid heightened tensions between North and South Korea, following a landmine explosion along their heavily fortified border in September. The incident has led to renewed accusations between the two sides over activities in the border region.
In a letter to the United Nations Security Council last week, North Korea's representative accused South Korea of using the September landmine incident to portray the North's border construction work as a military incursion. The letter warned that any violation of North Korea's sovereignty could trigger self-defence measures and said South Korea would be "wholly accountable for all the ensuing consequences".
The latest test also came as senior diplomats from South Korea, the United States and Japan renewed calls for the complete denuclearisation of North Korea during trilateral talks in Atlanta.
US Secretary of State Marco Rubio said on Saturday that President Donald Trump remained open to talks with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un, provided Pyongyang was willing to discuss issues of concern to Washington and its allies. However, no official meeting between Trump and Kim has been scheduled.