North Korea fires four strategic cruise missiles as part of exercise designed to demonstrate Pyongyang's " DW reports..

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Four Hwasal-2 cruise missiles flew for about 170 minutes before hitting their "

North Korea first tested a long-range cruise missile system in September 2021 and has since referred to the weapon as "

The tests came after North Korea test-fired an ICBM on Saturday, Feb. 18, and fired short-range missiles into the sea off its east coast on Monday, Feb. 20..

The US and South Korea held a staff exercise to simulate a nuclear threat from North Korea.

“Given the recent aggressive nuclear policy of the DPRK and the progress in nuclear capabilities, the scenario was focused on the possibility of the use of nuclear weapons by the DPRK. Both sides confirmed that the alliance is ready to respond to nuclear threats from the DPRK,” the countries said in a joint statement..

At the same time, the US, South Korea and Japan conducted naval exercises in the Sea of \u200b\u200bJapan.. They focused on the exchange of information on ballistic missile targets and the development of detection, tracking and interception procedures..

The US and South Korea are also planning further military exercises in the coming weeks.. North Korea has for decades described the annual U.S.

and South Korean military exercises as a rehearsal for a potential invasion, though allies say their exercises are defensive in nature..

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It was previously reported that North Korea may conduct a lower, longer trajectory test of intercontinental ballistic missiles (ICBMs), as well as a seventh nuclear test, as early as this year to improve its military capabilities.. This was stated by the legislators of South Korea, referring to representatives of intelligence.