North Korea launches two cruise missiles from submarine on Oct 15, 2026

North Korea tested two strategic cruise missiles from the Hero Kim Kun Ok submarine in the country’s eastern waters on October 15, 2026, marking the first underwater‑launched missile test in nearly three years.

The launch, announced by the Korean Central News Agency, was presented as a public demonstration of the submarine’s combat readiness and a verification of the nuclear deterrent’s reliability.

According to KCNA, the test aimed to assess the readiness of North Korea’s underwater combat systems and to showcase the high reliability and trustworthiness of its war deterrents. The missiles were described as strategic cruise types, though specific designations were not disclosed.

South Korea’s Joint Chiefs of Staff detected the launches and concluded that one missile was fired from a vertical launch tube while the other was launched from a torpedo tube, confirming the use of a submarine platform.

The vessel involved is likely the Hero Kim Kun Ok, unveiled in 2023 with claims of at least ten missile launch tubes in addition to torpedo tubes. Initial skepticism about the submarine’s capabilities centered on doubts it was more than a modified aging diesel‑powered platform, and earlier tests had been limited to a single‑tube 2,000‑ton class submarine.

Analysts said the October test indicates that technical issues—such as the submarine’s ability to right itself—have been resolved, allowing North Korea to move forward with testing the weapons it intends to carry. Experts warned that the submarine’s deployment would pose a significant threat to South Korea and the United States, as underwater‑launched missiles are difficult to detect before launch.

The missile test follows a series of recent weapons demonstrations, including hypersonic missile launches on October 3 and additional ballistic missile tests on October 12, as well as extensive U.S.–South Korea–Japan military exercises. North Korean officials have framed the submarine launches as leverage in negotiations with the United States, emphasizing that they will continue to develop and test submarine‑borne missiles before any formal deployment.