N.Korea tests "strategic cruise missiles"

North Korea launched four "strategic cruise missiles" Thursday as part of a drill meant to demonstrate Pyongyang's "deadly nuclear counterattack capability," state media announced, according to Voice of America.

The four Hwasal-2 cruise missiles flew along a 2,000-kilometer orbit for about 170 minutes before hitting a "preset target" in the sea off North Korea's east coast, according to the Korean Central News Agency.

"The drill clearly demonstrated once again the war posture of the DPRK nuclear combat force bolstering up in every way its deadly nuclear counterattack capability against the hostile forces," KCNA added.

North Korea's official name is the Democratic People's Republic of Korea or DPRK.

Although South Korea and Japan typically issue alerts when North Korea launches missiles, they did not do so Thursday, raising the question of whether they detected the cruise missile exercise.

Later on February 24, South Korea's military disputed North Korea's claim about the cruise missiles, without specifying what portion it believed was inaccurate.

"There is a difference between what South Korea-U.S. reconnaissance surveillance assets identified and what North Korea announced,” read a statement from South Korea’s Joint Chiefs of Staff.

“We are closely analyzing related matters in cooperation with the United States,” the statement added.

Cruise missiles typically fly at lower altitudes than ballistic missiles and are therefore harder for other countries to track and potentially intercept.

North Korea claims its cruise missiles are nuclear-capable. However, it is not clear whether it has built warheads small enough to be carried on such missiles.