SEOUL, South Korea (AP) — North Korean leader Kim Jong Un oversaw test launches of new cruise missiles to be launched from submarines and also reviewed efforts to build a nuclear submarine while reaffirming his goal of building a nuclear submarine to build an armed navy to counter what it sees as growing external threats, state media said on Monday.

The report came a day after South Korea’s military said it had discovered that North Korea had fired several cruise missiles over waters near the eastern port of Sinpo, where the North has a major shipyard that develops submarines. It was the latest in a series of weapons demonstrations by North Korea amid rising tensions with the United States, South Korea and Japan.

North Korea’s official Rodong Sinmun newspaper published photos of what appeared to be at least two missiles fired separately. Both produced gray-white clouds as they broke the surface of the water and rose into the air at an angle of about 45 degrees, possibly indicating that they were fired from torpedo launch tubes.

State media said the missiles were Pulhwasal-3-31, a new type of weapon that was first tested in land-based missile launches on North Korea’s west coast last week.

According to reports, two missiles were fired during the test. KCNA said the missiles flew for more than two hours before accurately hitting an island target, but did not name the ship used for the launch. North Korea has fired missiles in recent years from both development submarines and underwater test platforms built on barges.

Lee Sung Joon, spokesman for the South Korean General Staff, said the South Korean and U.S. militaries were analyzing the launches and also considering the possibility that the North had exaggerated flight times.

In recent years, North Korea has tested various submarine-launched missiles to carry out nuclear attacks from the water. In theory, such a capability would enhance deterrence by ensuring a survivable ability to retaliate after repelling a nuclear attack on land.

Missile-firing submarines would also pose a maritime threat to the North’s growing collection of solid-fuel weapons fired from land vehicles and designed to overwhelm the missile defense systems of South Korea, Japan and the United States.

Still, it would take significant time, resources and technological improvements for the heavily sanctioned country to build a fleet of at least several submarines that could travel quietly and carry out attacks reliably, analysts say.

North Korea’s official news agency said Kim was satisfied after the missiles accurately hit their naval targets in Sunday’s test.

He then assigned unspecified key tasks to “realize the Navy’s nuclear armament and expand the area of ​​operations,” which he described as critical goals given the “prevailing situation and future threats,” the report said. KCNA said Kim was also briefed on efforts to develop a nuclear-powered submarine and other advanced naval vessels.

Kim made similar comments about a nuclear-armed navy in September when he attended the launching ceremony of a new submarine that North Korea says is capable of firing tactical nuclear weapons from the water. He said at the time that the country was pursuing a nuclear submarine and that it planned to convert existing submarines and surface ships to handle nuclear weapons.

Nuclear-powered submarines can quietly travel long distances and approach enemy shores to carry out attacks. This would support Kim’s stated goal of building a nuclear arsenal that could seriously threaten the US mainland. But experts say such ships are unlikely to be feasible for the North in the short term without external help.

North Korea has an estimated 70 to 90 diesel-powered submarines in one of the largest submarine fleets in the world. These are usually outdated ships that can only fire torpedoes and mines.

The South Korean military said the Hero Kim Kun Ok submarine unveiled by North Korea in September did not appear to be operational, suggesting that North Korea was exaggerating its capabilities.

The submarine appeared to have at least ten launch tubes, possibly designed for missiles. The South’s Joint Chiefs of Staff said the North should have enlarged the bridge and other parts of the original ship to accommodate missile launch systems, but the ship’s appearance suggested it “could not operate normally.”

Tensions on the Korean peninsula have risen in recent months as Kim accelerates his weapons development and makes provocative threats of a nuclear conflict with the United States and its Asian allies.

In response, the United States, South Korea and Japan are expanding their joint military exercises, which Kim condemns as rehearsals of invasion, and are stepping up their deterrence strategies based on nuclear-capable U.S. assets.

The latest cruise missile launches were followed by a Jan. 14 test fire of North Korea’s first intermediate-range solid-fuel ballistic missile, reflecting Kim’s efforts to expand his arsenal to overwhelm missile defenses in South Korea and Japan as well as distant U.S. targets in the Pacific, including Guam .

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