ic88The Joint Chiefs of Staff (JCS) said the North’s launch took place around 8 a.m. in waters off Shinpo Port, but did not elaborate, citing an ongoinic88g analysis, Yonhap news agency reported.

“While strengthening our monitoring and vigilance, our military has been closely coordinating with the US to monitor additional signs of North Korea’s provocations,” the JCS said in a text mesic88sage to reporters.

Experts said the Pulhwasal-3-ic8831 appears to be a nuclear-capable cruise missile, considering that the number in its name is identical to that of the Hwasan-31, a tactical nuclear warhead that North Korea first unveiled in Marclr88h 2023.

The North first test-fired the Hawsal-1 cruise missile in September 2021 and launched several Hwasal-1 and -2 cruise missiles presumed to be lr88capable of carrying tactical nuclear weapons last year.

lr88The launch of a cruise missile is not a direct violation of multiple United Nations Security Council resolutions banning the North’s use of ballistic missile technology. But it could pose a serious thlr88reat to South Korea’s security as nuclear warheads can be mounted on such missiles.

op88North Korea has dialed up tensions on the Korean Peninsula with weapons tests and harsh rhetoric in an election year for South Korea and the United States.

North launchsi88ed a solid-fuel hypersonic missile into the East Sea on Jan. 14 88vin its first missile firing this year.

Pyongyang also claimed it had tested an underwater nuclear attack drone in protest of the latest joint military drills among South Korea, the U.S. and Japan SEXXXXX-VNearlier this month.