"North Korea's Bold Move: Cruise Missiles Fired Into Sea as US-South Korean Military Drills Wrap Up."

 In response to the United States-South Korea summer military drills, North Korea conducted a series of cruise missile launches into the sea, according to South Korea's military. The launches occurred off the North's west coast, with the South's Joint Chiefs of Staff detecting the activity early Saturday morning. Both South Korean and U.S. intelligence authorities are currently analyzing the details of these launches. South Korea has increased its surveillance posture and maintains a strong military readiness in close coordination with the United States.

These missile launches take place just two days after the conclusion of the 11-day training exercises conducted by the U.S. and South Korean militaries. However, North Korea perceives these exercises as a rehearsal for invasion, while Washington and Seoul argue that they are purely defensive in nature. Just before the training ended, North Korea fired two short-range ballistic missiles into the sea, claiming that it was simulating "scorched earth" nuclear strikes on South Korea. Additionally, North Korea announced that it was conducting a command post exercise focused on rehearsing an occupation of South Korea's territory in the event of conflict.

On August 21, the day the U.S.-South Korean drills commenced, North Korea's state media reported that its leader, Kim Jong Un, observed cruise missile launches. It is worth noting that North Korea recently attempted to place a military spy satellite in orbit, but the endeavor failed on August 24. Despite this setback, the country has expressed its intention to make a third attempt in October.

Since the beginning of 2022, North Korea has carried out more than 100 weapons tests, including numerous ballistic launches, which are prohibited by United Nations Security Council resolutions. While North Korea's cruise missile tests are not explicitly prohibited, they still pose a threat to its adversaries due to their ability to fly at lower altitudes, evading radar detection. Analysts maintain that the primary purpose of North Korean cruise missiles is to target incoming U.S. warships and aircraft carriers in the event of war.

Foreign experts suggest that North Korean leader Kim Jong Un uses the U.S.-South Korean military drills as a pretext to expand the country's missile and nuclear arsenals. By doing so, Kim hopes to gain leverage in future diplomatic negotiations with the United States and secure international recognition as a legitimate nuclear state. Such recognition could potentially lead to the lifting of U.N. sanctions on North Korea.