KCNA released footage of a missile emerging from the water at a 45‑degree angle before streaking across the East Sea, a display the agency said showcased the navy's "high reliability, trustworthiness and ability."
The launch came a day after a landmine detonated on the DMZ near the Seoul‑controlled area, wounding three soldiers, a reminder of the fragile border that has simmered since 1953.
If the country succeeds in deploying submarine‑launched ballistic missiles, it could extend its reach beyond the peninsula and provide a second‑strike option that would alter regional security dynamics.
South Korea, not to be outdone, test‑fired its first domestically produced hypersonic missile last week, a day after Pyongyang claimed an AI‑assisted intermediate‑range hypersonic launch, fueling a tit‑for‑tat cycle.
In the fishing village of Gangneung, a 58‑year‑old fisherman recalled the 2009 missile test that left his boat stranded, and now he watches each launch with a mix of fear and resignation.
Following the exercise, authorities say they will conduct additional naval drills in the coming weeks, a move that may prompt further retaliatory tests from Seoul.