North Korea tests missiles with cluster-bomb warheads
North Korea tests missiles with cluster-bomb warheads
North Korea says its latest tests involved ballistic missiles with cluster-bomb warheads as it expands its nuclear-capable forces targeting South Korea.
North Korea announced this week that its testing spree covered a range of weapons systems, including ballistic missiles equipped with cluster-bomb warheads, as it pushes to expand a nuclear-capable arsenal aimed at deterring and pressuring its rival, South Korea, amid high regional tensions.
In Seoul, officials convened an emergency meeting and urged Pyongyang to stop violating UN resolutions, signaling a renewed push for international pressure and calm on the peninsula.
The timing followed a rare conciliatory message from Kim Jong Un to South Korean President Lee Jae Myung, a move analysts say may be designed to test the waters for dialogue while showing strength.
Analysts caution that North Korea's weapons tests are often tactics to signal legitimacy for its program, even as the broader path to diplomacy remains uncertain.
Experts warn the situation underscores enduring regional risk and the fragility of any effort to de-escalate, as the world watches for any new diplomacy or sanctions responses.
