North Korean leader Kim Jong-un inspects a submarine-launched cruise missile launch on January 28. (Source: KCNA)

Yonhap quoted information from the above newspaper as saying that Mr. Kim Jong-un inspected the missile test launch.

The newspaper stated that on January 28, North Korea launched a strategic cruise missile Pulhwasal-3-31 from a submarine. The missile hit predetermined targets on an island in the East Sea of ​​North Korea after flying for about 7,421 to 7,445 seconds.

However, Rodong Sinmun did not release further information related to the launch, such as the distance the missile traveled before hitting its target.

Meanwhile, the Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) quoted Chairman Kim Jong-un as saying during the inspection that the current situation and threats that exist in the future require the Northeast Asian country to "further accelerate efforts to protect maritime sovereignty".

North Korea will also continue to carry out its military modernization plan to build a powerful navy.

In addition, Mr. Kim Jong -un once again declared that equipping the navy with nuclear weapons is an urgent task of the times and a core requirement in building a national nuclear strategic force to expand the operational space of the nuclear deterrent force in various ways.

KCNA said the submarine-launched missile test “had no impact on the security of a neighboring country and had nothing to do with the regional situation,” adding that the North Korean leader was “extremely satisfied” with the results of the test.

The South Korean military announced that it had detected North Korea launching several cruise missiles at around 8:00 a.m. on January 28 (6:00 a.m. the same day, Hanoi time) into the sea near the eastern port city of Shinpo.

On January 24, North Korea confirmed for the first time that it had tested a new cruise missile, the Pulhwasal-3-31. According to Pyongyang, this was an effort to enhance its ability to carry tactical nuclear warheads.

Cruise missiles fly at low altitudes and have multiple control options, making them difficult to detect and intercept. Unlike ballistic missiles, testing of cruise missiles is not prohibited under current UN resolutions on North Korea.