North Korea has tested a new cluster-bomb warhead on a ballistic missile and an electromagnetic weapon this week, state media KCNA reported on Thursday, in a move seen as part of efforts by Pyongyang to demonstrate its capacity to fight a modern war.
The country’s Academy of Defence Science and the Missile Administration also carried out tests of carbon-fibre bombs and a mobile short-range anti-aircraft missile system, KCNA said.
Kim Jong Sik, a general who oversaw the tests, said the electromagnetic weapon system and carbon-fibre bombs were “special assets” for North Korea’s military.
South Korea’s Joint Chiefs of Staff said on Wednesday that Pyongyang had test-fired multiple missiles over several days.
Analysts said the tests were likely intended as a show of force in advanced conventional weapon systems aimed at both adversaries and allies.
Missile Capabilities and Demonstrations
Without specifying the number of ballistic missiles launched a violation of United Nations sanctions North Korea said it had tested its mobile short-range anti-aircraft missile system as well as the combat capabilities of its tactical ballistic missile warhead.
One test demonstrated that the surface-to-surface tactical ballistic missile Hwasongpho-11 Ka, fitted with a cluster-bomb warhead, could “reduce to ashes any target” covering an area of up to 7 hectares (17 acres), KCNA said.
Electronic Warfare and Strategic Implications
The tests follow North Korea’s renewed characterisation of South Korea as a “hostile enemy”, dashing recent hopes in Seoul of easing tensions on the Korean Peninsula.
Experts said Pyongyang appears to be upgrading its weapons with advanced technology suited to modern warfare.
The electromagnetic weapon system could disable electronic circuits in enemy assets, potentially affecting South Korea’s F-35A stealth fighter jets or Aegis-equipped destroyers, analysts said.
Carbon-fibre bombs developed by advanced militaries such as the U.S. and China can disrupt infrastructure like power plants by dispersing conductive fibres over a target, making them a potentially effective tool in conflict.
North Korea also said it had conducted a firing drill using “low-cost raw materials”, indicating an emphasis on mass production of weapons.
Regional and Strategic Context
The development of such weapons could complicate South Korea’s defence strategy, analysts said, particularly as North Korea appears to be incorporating lessons from conflicts such as Ukraine and the Middle East.
For the first time, Pyongyang has also openly indicated it is pursuing weapons designed to target South Korea’s industrial infrastructure.
Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi is scheduled to visit North Korea for two days starting Thursday. There has also been speculation that U.S. President Donald Trump may seek a summit with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un on the sidelines of his visit to China in mid-May.
(with inputs from Reuters)
