The underwater-to-surface strategic cruise missiles reportedly traveled around 932 miles and flew between 7,507 and 7,511 seconds before hitting their targets.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
SEOUL, South Korea \u2014 North Korea conducted a strategic cruise missile test on Saturday, state media KCNA reported Sunday.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The country\u2019s leader Kim Jong Un oversaw the test, according to the report, which described it as a test-fire of an \u201cimportant weapon system.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The underwater-to-surface strategic cruise missiles traveled 1,500 kilometers (around 932 miles) and flew between 7,507 and 7,511 seconds before hitting their targets, KCNA reported.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
In a separate KCNA report on Sunday, North Korea\u2019s foreign ministry vowed the \u201ctoughest counteraction\u201d against the United States as long as Washington \u201crefuses\u201d Pyongyang\u2019s sovereignty.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The military alliance and joint drills between South Korea and the U.S. were to blame for the growing tensions in the region, the ministry said in a statement carried by KCNA.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The statement came as U.S. President Donald Trump said during an interview Thursday that he would reach out to Kim again after the two developed a working relationship in Trump\u2019s first term.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
North Korea\u2019s war deterrence means were being \u201cperfected more thoroughly,\u201d Kim was quoted as saying, while the leader also vowed to continue efforts to strengthen the military.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cKim Jong Un affirmed that the DPRK will always make strenuous efforts … to perform its important mission and duty for defending sustainable and lasting peace and stability on the basis of more powerfully developed military muscle in the future.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The DPRK stands for North Korea\u2019s official name, the Democratic People\u2019s Republic of Korea.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
In a statement later in the day, South Korea\u2019s Joint Chiefs of Staff said North Korea fired multiple cruise missiles from inland areas toward waters off the west coast at around 4 p.m. local time (2 a.m. ET) Saturday.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The report said the missile test was part of plans to build national defense capabilities against potential enemies in line with changing regional safety circumstances.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Earlier this month, North Korean state media also reported that Kim oversaw a successful test of a new intermediate-range hypersonic ballistic missile (IRBM).<\/p>\n\n\n\n