SEOUL, 29 October (H.S.):

North Korea conducted a test of sea-to-surface cruise missiles from its western coast on Tuesday, a provocative military display just one day before U.S. President Donald Trump is set to arrive in South Korea for high-stakes diplomatic meetings.

According to a report from the state-run KCNA news agency on Wednesday, the missiles were launched from the Yellow Sea and remained airborne for more than two hours. The test was supervised by senior military official Pak Jong Chon, who lauded the important successes in advancing the nation’s nuclear forces as a deterrent.The absence of leader Kim Jong Un from the launch was notable, marking the second significant weapons test he has not personally overseen in recent weeks. The missile firing comes as President Trump has publicly extended an invitation to meet with Kim during his visit to the peninsula, an offer to which Pyongyang has not yet officially responded. The two leaders last met at the Demilitarized Zone in 2019.

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Hindusthan Samachar / Jun Sarkar