Korean media: North Korea launched a surprise attack in the early hours of the morning
Comprehensive Jiji Press and Yonhap News Agency reported that the South Korean military confirmed on September 2 that the North Korea started to launch several cruise missiles into the Yellow Sea at about 4 a.m. that day.
According to reports, this move is considered a countermeasure by North Korea against the "shield of freedom" of the joint military exercise between the United States and South Korea. The US and South Korea military exercises ended on August 31st, and North Korea announced that it will hold a "full military command training" starting from August 29th. Launching cruise missiles should be part of the training.
The report states that the missile is speculated to be a "strategic cruise missile" claimed by North Korea to be equipped with tactical nuclear weapons. North Korea is demonstrating its ability to attack the entire territory of South Korea and US military bases in Japan.
On the 2nd, officials from the South Korean Presidential Office stated that the South Korean National Security Office held a security inspection meeting in the morning of the same day to analyze North Korea's intention to launch cruise missiles and check the military's alert situation.
According to reports, official North Korean media such as North Korean Central News Agency have not reported on the launch of the cruise missile so far.
According to Yonhap News Agency analysis, North Korea's sudden attack in the early hours of the morning is not only a tiring move for the enemy, but also a test of the South Korean military's state of readiness.