North Korea Tests Cluster-Bomb Warheads in New Weapons Drill

North Korea test-fired cluster-bomb warheads on Saturday, October 31, 2026, as part of a series of military drills. State media reported the test on Sunday, November 1, 2026, stating it was meant to train military units on using the weapons.

Details of the Test

The test was carried out to check the combat power of a cluster-bomb warhead made for tactical ballistic missiles. Officials reported the weapon can destroy a target area of 12 to 13 hectares. The general director of the North's Missile Administration stated that units will be able to use all these weapon types within this year based on operational goals. Photos from the Korean Central News Agency showed a projectile launching from a mobile vehicle and multiple impacts on an island target. North Korean leader Kim Jong Un did not attend this test, though he oversaw a similar missile-mounted cluster-bomb test in April with his daughter Ju Ae.

Border Tensions

This weapons test follows recent trials of attack drones, a precision-guided torpedo system, and an intermediate-range hypersonic missile by the nuclear-armed country. It also happened against a backdrop of rising tensions from a landmine explosion near the heavily fortified border that left three South Korean soldiers wounded. North Korea has denied responsibility for the blast, promising to strengthen its border areas and restart its loudspeaker campaign.

Context

Cluster munitions are controversial weapons designed to release multiple smaller submunitions over a wide area, which often poses long-term risks to civilians. Border friction between North and South Korea has persisted for decades along the demilitarized zone, frequently flaring up due to military exercises and propaganda campaigns.