The key facts

  • The DPRK tested a 'Type-2' cluster warhead for a tactical ballistic missile
  • The claimed area of destruction is about 12–13 hectares
  • By the end of the year, all four types of warheads are planned to be delivered to military units

The test and the claimed results

North Korea conducted a test of a cluster warhead for a tactical ballistic missile to assess its combat applicability and destructive power, the state agency KCNA reported on Sunday. The test was carried out by the Missile Administration on Saturday, October 31; it was overseen by General Kim Jong Sik — a member of the Military Commission of the ruling Workers' Party of Korea and first deputy director of the Party Central Committee's department.

What the developers said

According to the DPRK's Institute of Ballistic Rocket Systems and the Warhead Institute, the test confirmed that the 'standard Type-2 cluster warhead' is capable of striking an area of about 12–13 hectares (29–32 acres) with 'ultra-high density.' The head of the Missile Administration said that Pyongyang divides its cluster warheads into four categories, including special-purpose and standard ones, and plans by the end of this year to deliver all four types to military units so they can select warheads according to operational tasks and target characteristics. The test itself is described as part of regular scientific research aimed at increasing the destructive power of weapons.

Context and limitations of the information

All information about the test comes from North Korean state structures and was relayed via KCNA; there is no independent verification of the claimed characteristics in available publications. The material is based on a report by the Anadolu agency recounting the KCNA publication.