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North Korea carries out second asymmetric weapons test in less than two weeks

Published: 20 Apr. 2026, 19:29

Kim Jong-un, second from left, and his daughter Kim Ju-ae, left, watch North Korea's Hwaseong-11 Ra surface-to-surface ballistic missile on April 19, in this photo released by North's official Rodong Sinmun the following day. [NEWS1]

North Korea test-fired the Hwasong-11 Ra missile fitted with cluster munitions and fragmentation mine warheads, representing Pyongyang's push to strengthen its kind of so-called asymmetric weapons, as arms of similar kinds are showing its efficacy in the Middle East and Ukraine.

North Korea's Missile Administration carried out a test launch on Sunday to evaluate the power of the improved warheads mounted on the surface-to-surface tactical ballistic missile, according to the Rodong Sinmun on Monday. Asymmetric weapons refer to arms used by often weaker states to counter the numerically or technologically superior foes.

South Korea’s Joint Chiefs of Staff detected North Korea fired multiple ballistic missiles from the Sinpo area into the East Sea on Sunday and that they flew about 140 kilometers (87 miles) before falling near Alsom. Kim Jong-un observed the launch with his daughter Kim Ju-ae, although the newspaper did not mention that separately.

While Seoul and Washington initially described the projectiles as short-range ballistic missiles pending closer analysis, the North's Hwasong-11 moniker puts the missile under the close-range ballistic missile category.

The Rodong Sinmun said the purpose of the launch was to “verify the characteristics and power of cluster bomb warhead and fragmentation mine warhead applied to the tactical ballistic missile.”

The display also appeared aimed at raising the level of threat against South Korea and the United States by showing that the very missile that aims to target Seoul can be equipped with more lethal warheads.

North Korea's Hwaseong-11 Ra surface-to-surface ballistic missile during its test on April 19, in this photo released by North's official Rodong Sinmun the following day. [NEWS1]

The cluster warhead cited by the North appears to refer to a cluster-munition payload. Cluster munitions disperse large numbers of submunitions over a wide area, maximizing lethality and earning nicknames such as steel rain. Israel has accused Iran of using such weapons in the ongoing Iran war.

The Hwasong-11 Ra is a downsized derivative of the KN-23, often described as North Korea’s version of Russia’s Iskander, according to analysts. The 130-kilometer range of the missile puts the entirety of Seoul and Gyeonggi, alongside key military bases and the Osan Air Base, within striking distance.

North Korea said it would deploy 250 transporter erector launchers (TEL) for a new tactical missile system to front line units after holding a transfer ceremony in Pyongyang in August 2024. Because each TEL can fire four missiles at once, that would theoretically allow a simultaneous salvo of 1,000 missiles. Monday’s claim effectively added that cluster-munition warheads can also be mounted on that system.

“The latest release appeared to be the first time North Korea had publicly shown photos tied to a cluster-munition test,” Shin Jong-woo, secretary general of the Korea Defense and Security Forum, said. “This looks like a strategy to build up its battle power that keeps in mind the kind of prolonged war of attrition and asymmetric warfare Iran has now put on display.”

Kim Jong-un, top right, watches North Korea's Hwaseong-11 Ra surface-to-surface ballistic missile on April 19, in this photo released by North's official Rodong Sinmun the following day. [NEWS1]

“Five tactical ballistic missiles, launched toward the target area around an island about 136 km away, struck the area of 12.5~13 hectares (31 to 32 acres) with a very high density, fully displaying their combat might,” the state media said.

It had earlier claimed that the April 8 Hwasong-11 Ka launch devastated an area equivalent to about 6.5 to 7 hectares. North Korea first unveiled cluster-munition warheads in November 2022, making its second such test in less than two weeks another sign of Kim Jong-un’s interest in these asymmetric capabilities.

The back-to-back tests also suggest Kim sees a wider payoff.

North Korea is still sending KN-23-family missiles to Russia, and Moscow has used those weapons extensively in Ukraine, according to the Center for Strategic and International Studies. That gives Kim a twofold advantage: he can broaden the export portfolio of his weapons while also testing new tactical systems on what amounts to a real battlefield laboratory in Ukraine.

Kim Jong-un, top left, and his daughter Kim Ju-ae, watch North Korea's Hwaseong-11 Ra surface-to-surface ballistic missile on April 19, in this photo released by North's official Rodong Sinmun the following day. [NEWS1]

Kim’s own remarks pointed in the same direction.

“The development and introduction of different cluster bomb warheads can meet the operational demand of the [North] Korean People's Army in a more satisfactory and effective way,' Kim Jong-un said, calling it a “weighty significance in military actions to boost the high-density striking capability to quell a specific target area as well as the high-precision striking capability.”

The North also said it fired a missile fitted with a fragmentation-mine warhead, which analysts believe resembles the concept of scatterable mines such as the Family of Scatterable Mines, commonly referred to as Fascam, and the Gator system used by the U.S. military.

Those weapons can rapidly block wide areas more quickly than buried land mines, but timed or self-destructing scatterable mines can still pose a serious risk to civilians if used near populated areas.

“This is a rapid-obstacle concept designed to restrict enemy maneuver,” Hong Min of the Korea Institute for National Unification said. “The intent is to deploy it with front line corps and use it to block South Korean and U.S. rear-area reinforcements and maneuver routes,” Hong added.

This article was originally written in Korean and translated by a bilingual reporter with the help of generative AI tools. It was then edited by a native English-speaking editor. All AI-assisted translations are reviewed and refined by our newsroom.
BY CHUNG YEONG-GYO,LEE YU-JUNG [[email protected]]