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North Korea conducted a test launch of two types of strategic cruise missiles launched from submarines, the North Korean Central News Agency reported on Thursday.
The agency stated that the missiles were launched on Wednesday toward the East Sea, also known as the Sea of Japan, without "any negative impact on the security of neighboring countries."
This comes weeks after tensions escalated following a landmine explosion along the heavily fortified border separating North Korea and South Korea.
Three South Korean soldiers were wounded in the explosion that occurred on September 21 in the area under Seoul's control within the Demilitarized Zone, and both countries have tested advanced missile technologies since then.
The Korean Central News Agency stated that the latest test "aimed to verify the current operational readiness of underwater combat systems," and that it was part of naval exercises.
It added that the tests demonstrated the "high reliability and capability of the war deterrent means of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea."
Photos released by the agency showed a missile launching vertically from the sea, leaving behind a thick plume of smoke. Another photo showed a projectile launching from the water at a 45-degree angle.
Other photos showed a missile flying horizontally over the sea, in addition to a submarine surfacing on the water.
North Korea has conducted numerous submarine-launched missile tests in recent years, but its sea-based launch capabilities remain unclear.
Cruise missiles typically rely on jet propulsion and fly at lower altitudes than more advanced ballistic missiles, making them more difficult to detect and intercept.
Pyongyang possessing a proven capability to launch missiles from submarines would take North Korea's arsenal to a new level, and would also allow for their deployment outside the Korean Peninsula.
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