North Korea Holds Missile Test Again, This Time Not Including Type Banned By UN Sanctions

JAKARTA - North Korea fired what appeared to be two cruise missiles into the sea off its east coast on Tuesday, South Korea's Joint Chiefs of Staff said, days after a series of ballistic missile tests.

The South Korean military is assessing the launch to determine the nature of the projectiles from the missiles fired, it said.

The launch was the fifth missile test this year, as North Korean leader Kim Jong Un pledged to strengthen his military with cutting-edge technology, at a time when talks with South Korea and the United States have stalled.

The largest missile launch in the isolated nation since at least 2019 has sparked expressions of concern from the UN secretary-general, and the Biden administration has imposed new sanctions.

Lee Sang-min, a military expert at the Korea Institute of Defense Analysis, said this month's missile test appeared aimed at building geopolitical tensions, and possibly prompting President Biden's administration to devise a new strategy against North Korean leader Kim Jong Un.

"Cruise missiles are slower than ballistic missiles and are considered a lesser threat, but they hit targets with high precision, something North Korea will continue to develop," Lee said.

North Korea's launch of cruise missiles is not prohibited under UN sanctions imposed on Pyongyang, which has defied international condemnation and carried out four rounds of ballistic missile tests, the most recent on January 17.

To note, China and Russia have pushed for the UN Security Council to lift a ban on Pyongyang's exports of statues, seafood and textiles, as well as raise limits on imports of refined oil.

Meanwhile, North Korea has said it is open to talks, but only if the United States and others drop "hostile policies" such as sanctions and military exercises.