SEOUL 鈥 North Korea conducted a strategic cruise missile test on Saturday, state media KCNA reported on Sunday.
The country鈥檚 leader Kim Jong Un oversaw the test, according to the report, which described it as a test-fire of an 鈥渋mportant weapon system.鈥
The underwater-to-surface strategic cruise missiles traveled 1,500 kilometers and flew between 7,507 and 7,511 seconds before hitting their targets, KCNA reported.
In a separate KCNA report on Sunday, North Korea鈥檚 foreign ministry vowed the 鈥渢oughest counteraction鈥 against the United States as long as Washington 鈥渞efuses鈥 Pyongyang鈥檚 sovereignty.
The military alliance and joint drills between South Korea and the US were to blame for the growing tensions in the region, the ministry said in a statement carried by KCNA.
The statement came as US President Donald Trump said during an interview on Thursday that he would reach out to Mr. Kim again after the two developed a working relationship in Mr. Trump鈥檚 first term.
North Korea鈥檚 war deterrence means were being 鈥減erfected more thoroughly,鈥 Mr. Kim was quoted as saying, while the leader also vowed to continue efforts to strengthen the military.
鈥淜im 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.鈥
The DPRK stands for North Korea鈥檚 official name, the Democratic People鈥檚 Republic of Korea.
In a statement later in the day, South Korea鈥檚 Joint Chiefs of Staff said North Korea fired multiple cruise missiles from inland areas towards waters off the west coast at around 4 p.m. (0700 GMT) on Saturday.
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.
Earlier this month, North Korean state media also reported that Kim oversaw a successful test of a new intermediate-range hypersonic ballistic missile (IRBM). 鈥 Reuters
