North Korea fires the Hwasong-11 Ra surface-to-surface tactical ballistic missile in a test launch attended by leader Kim Jong-un, Sunday, in this image carried by the North's Korean Central News Agency, Monday. Yonhap

North Korea has tested cluster bombs in its latest launch of surface-to-surface ballistic missiles, supervised by leader Kim Jong-un, state media reported Monday.

The Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) published the report of the launch of the Hwasong-11 Ra tactical ballistic missile a day after South Korea's military detected multiple short-range ballistic missiles launched toward the East Sea at around 6:10 a.m. from North Korea's Sinpho area.

The KCNA said the purpose of the test-launch was to evaluate the power of the "cluster bomb warhead and fragmentation mine warhead" fitted to the weapon system.

Five missiles struck a target area near an island measuring about 13 hectares some 136 kilometers away with "very high density," fully demonstrating their combat capability, the KCNA report said.

Photos released showed Kim's daughter Ju-ae, who is believed to be being groomed as his successor, accompanying him at Sunday's weapon test.

Kim expressed "great satisfaction" over the test-launch, saying, "It is of weighty significance ... to boost the high-density striking capability to quell a specific target area, as well as the high-precision striking capability."

"The development and introduction of different cluster bomb warheads can meet the operational demand of the Korean People's Army in a more satisfactory and effective way," the report added.

The leader also encouraged science research groups responsible for weapons development, expressing hope that they would continue their "important undertakings to acquire and update various ultra-modern technologies necessary for the combat preparedness of our army."

Attending the test launch alongside Kim were Kim Jong-sik, a member of the Central Military Commission; Jang Chang-ha, chief of the Missile Administration; and front-line military unit commanders.

Source: Korea Times News