Araz News: PYONGYANG, North Korea – North Korea reported Saturday that it has successfully tested a submarine-launched missile, which would be a significant achievement in its military development if confirmed.

The date and location of the test was not mentioned in a news report carried by the official state news agency, but analysts say that the test would be a major advance as North Korea has several nuclear warheads, but has thus far only been able to launch test missiles from land.

This latest test has not been independently verified, but if confirmed, would give North Korea the hypothetical ability to launch a missile virtually undetected from anywhere in the Sea of Japan or East China Sea.

In response to the announcement, the US said using ballistic missiles was a “clear violation” of United Nations sanctions against North Korea.

A statement from the State Department made no direct comment on the reported test, but called on Pyongyang “to refrain from actions that further raise tensions in the region”.

North Korean state media said the missile emerged from the sea with “a fiery, blazing trail”, but did not mention the date or the location of the test.

The North Korean leader, Kim Jong-un, was reportedly present to witness the missile launch and a picture of the dictator overseeing the test was distributed by the North Korean government.

Kim was quoted by the news agency as saying he now possessed a “world-level strategic weapon capable of striking and wiping out in any waters the hostile forces infringing upon [North Korea’s] sovereignty and dignity”.

After the announcement, and the sweeping warning from Pyongyang, South Korea accused the North of firing three anti-ship cruise missiles into the sea off its east coast, which North Korea regards as its territory.

Pyongyang warned it would fire without warning against vessels it claims have violated its waters.

South Korea’s National Security Council has met in emergency session Saturday, but the government has not officially reacted to the missile test.

Claims about North Korea’s military capabilities are traditionally treated with skepticism as decades of sanctions have left the country with a largely agrarian economy and extremely outdated military hardware.

However, analysts at the respected US-Korea Institute at Johns Hopkins University in the US reported recently that at least one of North Korea’s aged submarines had been refitted to house at least two “ballistic or cruise missiles”.

The report was based on satellite pictures first seen in July 2014, which also suggested that “North Korea has been upgrading facilities at the Sinpo South Shipyard in preparation for a significant naval construction program, possibly related to submarine development”.

This suggests that North Korea is developing technology to launch nuclear missiles from the sea, and is building the submarine fleet to carry that technology.

The best estimate of North Korea’s nuclear arsenal is that it could make up to 20 weapons, but its ability to make them small enough for a missile is unclear.

azerbaijannews