What did North Korea test in the East Sea on Wednesday?

North Korea tested two types of submarine-launched strategic cruise missiles. KCNA said the test examined the current mobilized posture of the country’s underwater combat systems.

Who supervised North Korea’s submarine-launched cruise missile test?

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

How was the submarine-launched cruise missile test connected to North Korea’s recent ballistic missile launches?

The cruise missile report came days after North Korea test-fired tactical ballistic missiles from the Pyongyang area toward the East Sea on Monday. North Korea said that earlier test focused on confirming technical improvements to an important core element.

N. Korea tests 2 types of submarine-launched strategic cruise missiles: KCNA

Listen

Summary

North Korea tested two types of submarine-launched strategic cruise missiles in the East Sea on Wednesday. The test examined the mobilized posture of underwater combat systems and sought to improve the Navy’s ability to perform strategic missions. Kim Jong-sil, Jang Chang-ha and Navy underwater weapon system engineers oversaw the test, according to KCNA.

Key Facts

The test was reported by North Korea’s Korean Central News Agency in an English-language dispatch on Thursday.
Kim Jong-sil is a member of the Central Military Commission of the Workers’ Party of Korea, while Jang Chang-ha is director-general of the Missile Administration.
The Rodong Sinmun newspaper did not report the missile launch.
The report followed North Korea’s test-firing of tactical ballistic missiles from the Pyongyang area toward the East Sea on Monday.
North Korea said Tuesday that the ballistic missile test was intended to confirm success in technically upgrading an important core element.

By Yonhap

Published Oct 15, 2026 7:39 am 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 tested two types of submarine-launched strategic cruise missiles in the East Sea the previous day.

"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 said in an English dispatch.

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

The test was overseen by Kim Jong-sil, 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.

The Rodong Sinmun, the country's the most widely read paper, did not report the launch.

The report came days after the North test-fired tactical ballistic missiles from the Pyongyang area toward the East Sea on Monday.

The North said Tuesday the test launch was intended to "confirm the success in the research for the technical upgrading of an important core element."

Explore More