N. Korea fires strategic cruise missiles, possibly from nuclear attack submarine

North Korea said it test-fired two types of strategic cruise missiles in the East Sea on Wednesday, possibly from its 3,000-ton-class Hero Kim Kun Ok submarine. The test examined the underwater combat systems’ mobilized posture and the Navy’s ability to perform strategic missions. South Korea’s military said it tracked the missiles throughout their flight and identified one launch from a vertical system and another from a torpedo launcher. Kim Jong-sik and Jang Chang-ha oversaw the test, while leader Kim Jong-un was absent.

North Korea unveiled the Hero Kim Kun Ok, described as its first tactical nuclear attack submarine, in September 2023.

The test was the first reported submarine-launched strategic cruise missile test since January 2024, when North Korea said Pulhwasal-3-31 missiles were fired from the 2,000-ton-class 8.24 Yongung submarine.

South Korea’s Joint Chiefs of Staff said it monitored the missiles from before launch through the cruise phase and until the end of their flight.

One missile was launched from a vertical launching system, while the other was fired from a torpedo launcher.

North Korea said the launch had no adverse impact on the security of neighboring countries.

Published Oct 15, 2026 7:39 am KST

Updated Oct 15, 2026 2:29 pm KST

This combined photo, released by North Korea's official Korean Central News Agency on Thursday, shows two types of submarine-launched strategic cruise missiles that the North tested in the East Sea the previous day. Yonhap

North Korea said Thursday it test-fired two types of strategic cruise missile in the East Sea the previous day, in what may be the first launch from a 3,000-ton-class submarine it unveiled in 2023.

"The test-fire aimed to examine the current mobilized posture of the underwater combat systems and contributed to getting the Navy skilled in performing its strategic missions and showcasing high reliability, trustworthiness and ability of the war deterrents of the DPRK," the North's Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) said.

DPRK stands for North Korea's official name, the Democratic People's Republic of Korea.

The test was overseen by Kim Jong-sik, a member of the Central Military Commission of the Workers' Party of Korea, Jang Chang-ha, director-general of the Missile Administration and the Navy's underwater weapon system engineers, the report said.

Experts said the missiles appeared to be launched from what the North called its first tactical nuclear attack submarine, Hero Kim Kun Ok.

North Korea unveiled the vessel in September 2023 and described it as one of the "core underwater offensive means" of its navy.

At the launching ceremony on Sept. 6, 2023, North Korean leader Kim Jong-un was quoted as saying that arming the navy with nuclear weapons "brooks no further delay."

Wednesday's test was the first of its kind since January 2024, when the North said Pulhwasal-3-31 strategic cruise missiles were fired from the 2,000-ton-class 8.24 Yongung submarine, with Kim watching.

North Korea first reported its test-firing of a submarine-launched cruise missile from the same vessel in March 2023.

The fact that Wednesday's launch took place without Kim's attendance is seen as a way to show off the navy's capabilities while avoiding heavy outside pressure. The KCNA said the launch "did not have any adverse impact on the security of neighboring countries."

South Korea's military did not publicly disclose Wednesday's launch, but said it had tracked the missiles from before launch to the end of their flight, rejecting claims that it may have missed them.

"Our military has persistently monitored and tracked the North Korean cruise missile activity reported yesterday, using various assets from before the launch through the cruise phase to the end of the flight," Capt. Jang Do-young, a spokesperson for the Joint Chiefs of Staff (JCS), told a press briefing.

He declined to elaborate on the surveillance assets used, citing confidentiality with the United States.

When asked if the military could specify the launching system, Jang said one type of missile was fired from a vertical launching system, while another was fired from a torpedo launcher.

The Rodong Sinmun, the North's most widely read newspaper, did not report the launch.

Earlier this week, Pyongyang test-fired tactical ballistic missiles from the Pyongyang area toward the East Sea. The North said Tuesday the launch was intended to "confirm the success in the research for the technical upgrading of an important core element."

朝鲜周三表示，在东海试射了两种战略巡航导弹，可能来自其3000吨级的“英雄金坤玉”号潜艇。此次试射旨在检验水下作战系统的部署状态以及海军执行战略任务的能力。韩国军方称，他们全程跟踪了导弹的飞行轨迹，并确认其中一枚导弹由垂直发射系统发射，另一枚则由鱼雷发射装置发射。金正植和张昌河监督了此次试射，最高领导人金正恩缺席。

2023年9月，朝鲜公开了“英雄金坤玉”号，称其为朝鲜第一艘战术核攻击潜艇。

这是自 2024 年 1 月以来首次有报道称的潜射战略巡航导弹试验。当时朝鲜表示，其 2000 吨级的 8.24 永雄号潜艇发射了 Pulhwasal-3-31 导弹。

韩国联合参谋本部表示，他们对导弹从发射前到巡航阶段，直至飞行结束都进行了监控。

其中一枚导弹由垂直发射系统发射，另一枚导弹由鱼雷发射器发射。

朝鲜方面表示，此次发射不会对邻国的安全造成不利影响。

发布于2026年10月15日 上午7:39（韩国标准时间）

更新于2026年10月15日下午2:29（韩国标准时间）

这张由朝鲜官方通讯社朝中社周四发布的合成照片显示了朝鲜前一天在东海试射的两种潜射战略巡航导弹。（韩联社）

朝鲜周四表示，前一天在东海试射了两种战略巡航导弹，这可能是其于 2023 年推出的 3000 吨级潜艇的首次发射。

朝鲜中央通讯社（朝中社）称：“此次试射旨在检验当前水下作战系统的动员态势，有助于提高海军执行战略任务的技能，并展示朝鲜民主主义人民共和国战争威慑力量的高度可靠性、可信度和能力。”

DPRK是朝鲜民主主义人民共和国的正式名称。

报道称，此次测试由朝鲜劳动党中央军事委员会委员金钟植、导弹管理局局长张昌河和海军水下武器系统工程师监督进行。

专家表示，这些导弹似乎是从朝鲜称之为第一艘战术核攻击潜艇“英雄金坤玉”号上发射的。

朝鲜于 2023 年 9 月公开了这艘舰艇，并将其描述为其海军“核心水下进攻手段”之一。

在 2023 年 9 月 6 日的启动仪式上，朝鲜领导人金正恩曾表示，为海军配备核武器“不容再拖延”。

周三的试验是自 2024 年 1 月以来的首次此类试验。当时朝鲜表示，朝鲜从 2000 吨级的 8.24 永雄号潜艇上发射了普尔瓦萨尔-3-31 战略巡航导弹，金正恩在场观看。

朝鲜于 2023 年 3 月首次报告从同一艘潜艇上试射了一枚潜射巡航导弹。

周三的发射活动在金正恩缺席的情况下进行，被视为朝鲜展示海军实力并避免外部巨大压力的举措。朝中社称，此次发射“没有对邻国安全造成任何不利影响”。

韩国军方没有公开披露周三的发射行动，但表示已从发射前到飞行结束全程跟踪了导弹，驳斥了可能错过导弹的说法。

“我军持续监测和追踪昨天报道的朝鲜巡航导弹活动，从发射前到巡航阶段再到飞行结束，全程使用各种资源进行监控，”联合参谋本部发言人张道英上校在新闻发布会上表示。

他以对美国保密为由，拒绝详细说明所使用的监视资源。

当被问及军方能否具体说明发射系统时，张表示，一种导弹是从垂直发射系统发射的，而另一种是从鱼雷发射器发射的。

朝鲜发行量最大的报纸《劳动新闻》没有报道此次发射活动。

本周早些时候，平壤从平壤地区向东海方向试射了战术弹道导弹。朝鲜周二表示，此次发射旨在“验证一项重要核心部件技术升级研究的成功”。