How North Korea's cruise missile tests could 'complicate' regional defence
- North Korea's latest SLCM tests from the *Hero Kim Kun Ok* sub used both vertical tubes and torpedo launchers, or as Pyongyang calls it, a 'routine inspection' of things that go boom in the night.
- Seoul's military clammed up about the launch, then claimed it was tracking all along — classic 'we knew, we just didn't want to talk about it' energy.
- The missiles, likely the Pulhwasal-3-31 with a 2,000km range, fly low and dodge, designed to make US-South Korean missile defenses weep into their radar screens.
- This is all happening right before Trump's 'I may' meet Kim Jong-un at APEC — a will-they-won't-they soap opera that's become a recurring nightmare for defense analysts.
- Kim's 'limited operational capability' sub is being prepped for seaside nuclear intimidation, but experts say it's not ready for prime-time SLBM launches yet.
Brief Summary
As Tuesday's dog-and-pony show off North Korea's eastern coast reveals, Pyongyang is getting cheeky with its maritime hardware. The Kim Kun Ok, a 3,000-ton sub unveiled just last year, popped two different cruise missile types using two distinct launch methods — a trick that keeps Seoul's spooks and military planners guessing which tube might spit out what, turning their ballistic missile defense models into a chaotic game of whack-a-mole.
The KCNA report was, typically, light on details (flight ranges? missile speeds? Who needs 'em!) but heavy on dramatic photos of fire and plumes. The takeaway is that Kim is less concerned with actually hitting a target than with telegraphing his ability to complicate the US-South Korea response matrix. And with diplomatic sirens humming about a possible Trump meeting, this test is as much about messaging as it is about mechanics — a not-so-subtle reminder that the hermit kingdom's arsenal doesn't fit neatly into the proverbial 'negotiating folder.'
Why This Matters
Here's the personal twist: your tax dollars are funding the high-tech shield that this sub is designed to frustrate. The US missile defense network in the Pacific, a multi-billion-dollar investment, is now facing a submarine that acts like a Swiss Army knife on steroids. If North Korea can reliably lob cruise missiles from a sub without being tracked, every 'all-clear' alert for Tokyo or Seoul gets a little less certain.
Politically, this is a live grenade lobbed into the upcoming Trump-Kim flirtatious waltz. A successful, highly-publicized test gives Pyongyang leverage to demand recognition as a 'nuclear state' — a concession that would legitimize their arsenal and potentially upend decades of US policy. The next time you hear a politician promise 'peace through strength,' remember that strength is now measured in how well we can track a torpedo tube launch from a sub that left port without the South Korean navy issuing a press release.