(3rd LD) N. Korea reports test-firing of 'tactical' ballistic missile to improve weapons systems

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(ATTN: ADDS JCS official's comments in paras 7-10)

SEOUL, Oct. 13 (Yonhap) -- North Korea has test-fired a tactical ballistic missile to upgrade a key component of its weapons systems, which it called a "big success," the country's state media reported Tuesday.

The report came a day after South Korea's Joint Chiefs of Staff (JCS) detected multiple ballistic missiles launched from the Pyongyang area toward the East Sea.

North Korea's missile administration "test-fired a tactical ballistic missile on Oct. 12 to confirm the success in the research for the technical upgrading of an important core element," the Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) reported.

The administration claimed that the upgrade "was a big success heralding an important change in improving the performance and sophistication of all offensive weapon systems," it added, describing the test as part of regular activities.

The North did not disclose further details about the test-firing.

North Korea test-fires a tactical ballistic missile on Oct. 12, 2026, in this photo released by the North's Korean Central News Agency the following day. (For Use Only in the Republic of Korea. No Redistribution) (Yonhap)

The JCS earlier noted that North Korea launched multiple types of ballistic missiles, with one specific kind of missile flying more than 900 kilometers, and that South Korean and U.S. authorities were conducting a detailed analysis of their specifications.

"They may have fired a short-range ballistic missile at maximum range, or it is also possible that they fired a medium-range ballistic missile at a reduced range," JCS spokesperson Capt. Jang Do-young said in a press briefing on Tuesday.

Short-range ballistic missiles have a range of between 300 and 1,000 km, while medium-range ballistic missiles span from 1,000 to 3,000 km.

Jang reiterated that South Korea and the U.S. maintain a robust combined defense posture and that they are "fully capable" of detecting and intercepting the missiles recently launched by the North.

Shortly after Monday's missile launch, Japan's defense ministry said the North fired at least two ballistic missiles, flying about 220 km and more than 910 km, respectively.

U.S. Pacific Command (PACOM) said Monday that North Korea's latest launches involved two ballistic missiles.

Monday's launches marked the North's 16th ballistic missile launch of the year, coming nine days after its previous launch on Oct. 3.

They also came four days after South Korea publicly announced its first and successful test-firing of a homegrown hypersonic glide vehicle (HGV) in an event also attended by President Lee Jae Myung.

Hypersonic missiles are often described as potential "game changers" on the battlefield, as they travel at speeds of Mach 5 or faster and can maneuver along unconventional trajectories, making them difficult to track and intercept.

The South Korean government's disclosure of the advanced weapons test was seen as an apparent demonstration of its deterrence capabilities against North Korea following a land mine explosion in the Demilitarized Zone (DMZ) on Sept. 21 that injured three South Korean soldiers.

This photo, provided by the presidential office on Oct. 9, 2026, shows South Korea's first test-firing of a hypersonic glide vehicle by the Agency for Defense Development the previous day. (PHOTO NOT FOR SALE) (Yonhap)

elly@yna.co.kr (END)

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(3rd LD) N. Korea reports test-firing of 'tactical' ballistic missile to improve weapons systems

这将使谷歌能够向您展示与您的搜索匹配或相关的韩联社新闻文章。

（注意：在第7-10段中添加了参谋长联席会议官员的评论）

首尔，10月13日（韩联社）——朝鲜官方媒体周二报道，朝鲜试射了一枚战术弹道导弹，以升级其武器系统的关键部件，并称之为“巨大成功”。

这份报告发布的前一天，韩国联合参谋本部（JCS）探测到多枚弹道导弹从平壤地区向东海发射。

据朝中社报道，朝鲜导弹管理局“于10月12日试射了一枚战术弹道导弹，以验证一项重要核心部件技术升级研究的成功”。

政府声称此次升级“取得了巨大成功，预示着所有进攻性武器系统的性能和精密度将得到显著提升”，并补充说，此次测试是常规活动的一部分。

朝鲜方面没有透露有关试射的更多细节。

2026年10月12日，朝鲜试射了一枚战术弹道导弹。这张照片由朝鲜中央通讯社于次日发布。（仅限韩国境内使用，禁止转载）（韩联社）

韩国联合参谋本部此前指出，朝鲜发射了多种类型的弹道导弹，其中一种导弹的射程超过900公里，韩国和美国当局正在对这些导弹的规格进行详细分析。

“他们可能发射了一枚短程弹道导弹，射程达到最大；也可能他们发射了一枚中程弹道导弹，射程有所缩短。”日本联合参谋本部发言人张道英上校周二在新闻发布会上表示。

短程弹道导弹的射程在 300 公里到 1000 公里之间，而中程弹道导弹的射程在 1000 公里到 3000 公里之间。

张重申，韩国和美国保持着强大的联合防御态势，并且“完全有能力”探测和拦截朝鲜最近发射的导弹。

周一导弹发射后不久，日本防卫省表示，朝鲜至少发射了两枚弹道导弹，飞行距离分别为约 220 公里和超过 910 公里。

美国太平洋司令部（PACOM）周一表示，朝鲜最近一次发射了两枚弹道导弹。

周一的发射标志着朝鲜今年第 16 次弹道导弹发射，距离其 10 月 3 日的上一次发射已有 9 天。

此外，就在韩国公开宣布其国产高超音速滑翔飞行器（HGV）首次成功试射四天后，韩国总统李在明也出席了此次活动。

高超音速导弹经常被描述为战场上的潜在“游戏规则改变者”，因为它们的飞行速度可达 5 马赫或更快，并且可以沿着非常规轨迹进行机动，这使得它们难以追踪和拦截。

9月21日，朝鲜非军事区发生地雷爆炸，造成三名韩国士兵受伤。此后，韩国政府公开了此次先进武器试验，这被视为其对朝鲜展现威慑能力的明显举措。

这张照片由韩国总统府于2026年10月9日提供，显示的是韩国国防发展局前一天进行的首次高超音速滑翔飞行器试射。（照片禁止出售）（韩联社）

elly@yna.co.kr（完）

美国太平洋司令部称朝鲜发射了两枚弹道导弹，并重申了其对朝鲜的防务承诺。

（第三条）韩国进行高超音速武器试验后，朝鲜发射多枚弹道导弹

欧盟将3名个人和4个实体列入朝鲜制裁名单

（第三条）朝鲜报告试射“战术”弹道导弹，以改进武器系统