[DPRK] North Korea’s Cruise Missile: Hwasal-1

[Fig. 1] A view of the test launch in September 2021 (Korean Central News Agency)

• • • • • Length: Approx. 6 meters
        • Diameter: 0.5-0.6 meters
        • Flight speed: 0.6-0.7 mach
        • Range: 1500 to 2000 kilometers
        • Launch method : TEL(Transporter Erector Launcher)

Test launch

North Korea test-fired a cruise missile on January 22, 2021.
On March 21, 2021, North Korea fired two short-range cruise missiles into the West Sea at 6:36 a.m. Sunday (March 21) from the Ongcheon area of Nampo, North Pyongan Province.

On September 13, 2021, North Korea said it successfully test-fired a new long-range cruise missile with a range of 1,500 kilometers on September 11 and 12.
“The test launch was successful,” the Rodong News(N. Korean Newspaper) said, explaining that “the launched long-range cruise missiles flew for 7580 seconds (2 hours, 6 minutes, 20 seconds) along elliptical and figure-eight flight trajectories set over our country’s territory and territorial waters, hitting targets along the 1,500-kilometer line.”

Cruise missile provocation in 2023

[Fig. 2] N. Korea’s state media released this image of a strategic cruise missile

North Korea said on September 3 that it conducted a “launch drill assuming a tactical nuclear attack” with a long-range strategic cruise missile in the early morning hours of September 2.

It was a “show of force” in response to the ROK Air Force’s live-fire bombing drills on the last day of the U.S.-ROK ‘Eulji Freedom Shield’ (UFS) joint exercises (Aug. 31, 2023).

North Korea has been touting its nuclear threats ahead of its regime’s founding day (Sept. 9, 2023).

From the launch site (the mouth of the Cheongcheon River), it is a straight line to Kadena Air Base, Okinawa, Japan, where U.S. strategic assets such as F-22 stealth fighter jets are deployed.