Specifically, according to the Korean Central News Agency (KCNA), the North Korean army's missile unit held a drill off the country's west coast on February 26, supervised by leader Kim Jong-un. The drill aimed to "confirm to the enemy the North Korean army's counterattack capability, the combat readiness of various means for nuclear warfare, and demonstrate the reliability of Pyongyang's nuclear deterrence capability."

In the test, the missiles flew 1,587 km in an oval trajectory for more than 2 hours and hit their targets. North Korea did not specify the type of missiles.

During the missile launch inspection, Mr. Kim Jong-un emphasized the goal of permanently protecting the country's sovereignty and security with a "reliable nuclear shield", and suggested that North Korea should make efforts to "make more comprehensive preparations for the nuclear force's combat readiness".

The South Korean military said yesterday that it had detected signs of missile launch preparations since February 26 and tracked several cruise missiles after they were launched into the Yellow Sea at around 8 a.m. that day (local time).