North Korea tested cluster warheads for tactical ballistic missiles, with the aim of using them by the end of the year

North Korea announced that it tested cluster warheads on Saturday for tactical ballistic missiles, in an exercise intended to assess their adaptability in combat and destructive power. Pyongyang aims for the military to be able to use this type of weapon by the end of the year.

According to North Korean officials, the warhead could destroy an area of 12 to 13 hectares when used at full capacity. The director general of North Korea’s Missile Administration said military units would be able to choose and use different types of weapons depending on operational objectives and the characteristics of the targets.

The official KCNA news agency published images showing a projectile being launched from a mobile system and several impact zones on an island. Leader Kim Jong Un did not attend the test, although in April he observed a similar exercise alongside his daughter, Ju Ae.

The test comes after other recent North Korean military activities, including demonstrations involving attack drones and the launch of approximately ten ballistic missiles over several days.