North Korea conducted a test of a cluster bomb warhead designed for installation on tactical ballistic missiles and announced its intention to deploy various types of these warheads by the end of this year.
Details of the Warhead Test
The Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) reported that North Korea's missile agency conducted this test on Saturday to evaluate the operational compatibility and destructive capability of the cluster bomb warhead. The agency emphasized that the standard type 2 cluster bomb warhead is capable of turning an area of 12 to 13 hectares into ashes with its high power.
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Classification of Warheads and Future Plans
The Director General of North Korea's missile agency announced that cluster bomb warheads have been classified into four categories based on intended targets. He noted, "Throughout this year, we will allow units to select and use all these types based on operational objectives and specific target characteristics."
The cluster bomb can release dozens to hundreds of smaller explosive submunitions, enabling it to target multiple objectives over a wide area.
South Korean military forces stated that they monitored a missile launch that was fired from an area near Changju County towards the Yellow Sea. Typically, South Korean military forces quickly announce such events following North Korean ballistic missile launches.
Shin Jong-woo, Secretary General of the Korea Defense and Security Forum in Seoul, stated that the missile appears to be the Hwasong-11 Ra. In April, North Korea announced that it had tested cluster bombs on the tactical ballistic missile Hwasong-11 Ra. This test was conducted under the supervision of Kim Jong-un, the leader of North Korea, and his daughter Jo-ah.
The test on Saturday comes as senior diplomats from South Korea, the United States, and Japan are holding trilateral talks in Atlanta to call for the complete denuclearization of North Korea. Marco Rubio, the U.S. Secretary of State, also announced on Saturday that President Trump remains ready to talk with Kim Jong-un if Pyongyang is willing to discuss issues of concern to Washington and its allies. However, no meeting between the two leaders is scheduled.
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