In brief
State media reported that on Saturday, North Korea tested a cluster bomb that could be launched from tactical ballistic missiles, supervised by General Kim Jong‑sik. The bomb can devastate up to 13 hectares and the regime plans to field several variants by year‑end.
North Korea carried out a test of a cluster bomb that can mount on tactical ballistic missiles, state media said on Sunday, following the trial on Saturday at an undisclosed launch site.
The test, conducted by the Military's Missile Administration, was overseen by General Kim Jong‑sik, a member of the Workers' Party Central Military Commission and the first‑vice director of its Central Committee.
According to the Korean Central News Agency, the launch was a "complete scale test" intended to prove the cluster‑bomb warhead’s combat adjustment and power when fitted to a short‑range missile.
The research units linked to the Missile Administration confirmed that the so‑called Standard Type 2 cluster‑bomb can turn a target area of 12 to 13 hectares into ashes with its highest‑density power.
In the same briefing, the director of the Missile Administration indicated that cluster‑bomb warheads fall into four categories according to purpose.
"Within this year we will enable units to select and use all those types according to operational aims and specific features of targets," the director said.
North Korea first announced the development of cluster munitions for tactical missiles in April when a cluster bomb was launched on a Hwasong‑11 Ra ballistic missile under the supervision of leader Kim Jong‑un and his daughter Ju‑ae.
The April launch was also intended to measure the warhead's power and its fragmentation mine capabilities.
While the state press did not disclose a location, the test’s purpose is clear: expanding the country’s tactical missile arsenal with versatile cluster warheads capable of striking wide areas.
The move follows an international focus on cluster munitions, most of which have been banned by the Convention on Cluster Munitions, though North Korea is not a signatory.
The announcement comes amid renewed concerns over the region’s missile dynamics, with neighboring countries monitoring the tests closely.
No tangible opposition or challenge was issued by foreign governments immediately after the report, but the test was noted by analysts as potential evidence of a broadened strategic reach.
State media underscored the era ending within the year, promising to field multiple cluster warhead variants for deployment on tactical systems, a move that could alter the balance of power in the Korean Peninsula’s volatile security environment.
