North Korea Tests New Long-Range Cruise Missile

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North Korea test-fired a new long-range cruise missile Sunday, the Korean Central News Agency reported Monday amid accusations from the United States that the country is posing a threat to its neighbors.

The missiles traveled for over 1,500 km above North Korea and its territorial waters to hit their targets during the tests conducted over the weekend, according to KCNA.

"The development of this weapon system that has been powerfully pushed forward as a crucial work under the special concern of the Party Central Committee holds strategic significance of possessing another effective deterrence means for more reliably guaranteeing the security of our state and strongly containing the military maneuvers of the hostile forces against the DPRK," said the North Korean agency.

The talks on the denuclearization of North Korea in return for lifting US sanctions on the East Asian country had stopped in 2019 under the Trump administration.

KCNA had previously reported that the North Korean authorities held a military parade Thursday to commemorate the country's 73rd founding anniversary. What was distinct about the said military parade is that it featured no weapons nor a speech from the North Korean Supreme Leader, for it was aimed at boosting domestic morale.

However, Kim Jong Un said last Monday that climate change is one of the reasons behind the ongoing food crisis in his country and the catastrophic floods that hit its northeastern regions.

Kim Jong Un called on his country's officials to urgently respond to several disasters his regime is facing at a meeting of the Politburo, the Korean Central News Agency reported.

The North Korean leader stressed the need to improve North Korea's land management after floods destroyed bridges and homes on the country's east coast in August.