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Ulviyya Poladova

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North Korea has tested cluster bomb warheads designed for tactical ballistic missiles and announced plans to introduce various types of cluster munitions into its arsenal by the end of the year.

The Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) reported that the test took place on October 31 to assess the destructive power and combat capabilities of cluster warheads intended for tactical ballistic missiles.

A research institute under the country's Missile Administration confirmed that the "second standard type" cluster warhead could completely destroy targets across an area of 12 to 13 hectares due to its high explosive density.

The head of the administration said that different types of missiles would be made available to military units before the end of the year, depending on their operational needs and the nature of their targets.

South Korea's military said it had tracked the launch, reporting that the missile was fired from the area around Chongju in the country's northwest towards the Sea of Japan. Shin Jong-woo, secretary-general of the Seoul-based Korea Defense and Security Forum, identified the missile as a Hwasong-11 Ra.

In April, North Korea announced that it had tested cluster munitions mounted on a Hwasong-11 Ra tactical ballistic missile. Leader Kim Jong Un and his daughter Ju Ae personally observed that test.