SEOUL, South Korea — North Korea test-fired a newly designed air defense missile system and staged a cruise missile strike drill Wednesday, state media reported Thursday.
\n\nState news agency KCNA said the air defense test confirmed the technical specifications and reliability of the missile’s new materials and multiple guidance modes. It also confirmed the system’s ability to identify and track targets, the agency said.
\n\nA subunit of North Korea’s long-range strategic cruise missile unit in the east also struck a virtual airport target in a drill Wednesday, KCNA said.
\n\nThe agency report confirmed a South Korean military statement Wednesday that Pyongyang had fired multiple missiles toward the sea from the Sondok area on the east coast. It was the fourth North Korean weapons launch in a month.
\n\nA South Korean Defense Ministry official said Thursday that early detection data suggested the missiles could have been several different types.
\n\nImages released by Pyongyang appeared to show the cruise missile carrying a cluster warhead, according to Shin Jong-woo, secretary general of the Korea Defense & Security Forum. He said the launch appeared intended to test how effectively the warhead could disperse a payload over a target area.
\n\nShin said the new air…
Original source: https://www.nbcnews.com/business