North Korea Launches Cruise Missiles, U.S. Must Respond
North Korea again fired strategic cruise missiles while leader Kim Jong Un vowed to push the country’s nuclear program without limits, state media said, a move that underlines growing risk across the region and tests Western resolve. The launches, described by Pyongyang as a demonstration of deterrence, involved cruise missiles the regime claims can carry nuclear warheads, and state outlets said the weapons flew over the west coast for almost three hours. South Korea detected the activity and called it destabilizing, analysts warned cruise missiles are harder to intercept than ballistic missiles, and the diplomatic gap with Washington remains wide.
State-run outlets identified the launches as tests of cruise missiles designed to carry nuclear payloads, and they framed the exercise as a rehearsal of readiness. Officials said the missiles were flown from near Pyongyang and stayed aloft for an extended period, but they did not disclose exact ranges or impact areas. Those gaps in detail make independent assessment difficult and leave allies guessing about the regime’s true capabilities.
Kim Jong Un was quoted as saying he would “devote all their efforts to the unlimited and sustained development of the state nuclear combat force.” North Korean media also portrayed the drills as part of routine training to sharpen operators and validate systems under pressure. Those public lines are meant to telegraph resolve and to shape deterrence calculations in Seoul, Tokyo, and Washington.
Pyongyang’s agency framed the operation as a test of the “combat readiness of the nuclear deterrence force” and claimed it proved the ability to carry out a “swift and overwhelming retaliatory strike” if war breaks out. KCNA added bluntly, “The launch drill served as a clear warning to the enemies who are seriously threatening the security environment of the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea,” which signals the regime’s aim to intimidate rather than reassure. That rhetoric is standard from Pyongyang, but the weapons being highlighted here complicate regional defense planning.
South Korea’s Joint Chiefs of Staff reported detecting multiple cruise missile launches early Sunday from the Sunan area near Pyongyang, and Seoul’s defense ministry called the activities part of a pattern that undermines stability on the peninsula. Cruise missiles are a particular headache for missile defenses because they fly low and can maneuver, reducing reaction time for interceptors and radars built around ballistic-target profiles. Those technical realities mean allies need layered sensors and clear rules for response to avoid escalation or miscalculation.
Pyongyang has also pushed images and announcements about work on a nuclear-powered submarine, presenting what it called an 8,700-ton-class nuclear-propelled vessel intended to carry nuclear weapons. The regime paraded those claims as proof of modernization and maritime reach, but outside observers caution there is no independent verification of the submarine’s operational status or its ability to field and deliver nuclear payloads. The combination of sea-based ambitions and land- or air-launched cruise options complicates tracking and interception efforts.
Open-source analysts estimate North Korea has assembled roughly 50 nuclear warheads and possess fissile material that could permit production of perhaps 70 to 90 weapons, though secrecy makes these numbers uncertain. Those figures are not precise, but they underscore a simple fact: Pyongyang has moved beyond a single-digit arsenal and is pushing for delivery diversity. That trajectory forces policymakers to weigh stronger deterrence measures and cooperation with regional partners rather than wishful thinking about quick disarmament.
President Donald Trump has said he remains open to negotiations, yet Pyongyang insists denuclearization must be off the table before talks, a stance that keeps diplomacy stalled. From a Republican perspective, words alone won’t stop missile flights or submarine projects; clear consequences, tighter enforcement of sanctions, and stepped-up defense cooperation are the practical answers. The reality is stark: North Korea’s recent displays are both a technical challenge for missile defenses and a political test for Western resolve, and they demand a response that blends deterrence, intelligence, and unambiguous red lines.
Graduate Student, wife, engaged political and legal writer.
Related