North Korea Tests Ballistic Missile with New Cluster Warhead, Experts Warn of Extended Threat

North Korea's Missile Administration conducted a test launch on October 31, 2026, of a ballistic missile equipped with a new cluster warhead to evaluate its operational adaptation and destructive capability. State media reported on November 1 that the weapon can devastate an area of up to 13 hectares, with experts warning that its use on tactical missiles could threaten targets as far as the South Korean city of Busan. South Korea's Joint Chiefs of Staff detected the launch on October 31 but only disclosed it on November 1 after North Korean state media reports.