Why North Korea keeps launching missiles

North Korea has announced it fired a new long-range cruise missile over the weekend.

Despite international condemnation, the East Asian country keeps testing missiles, some of which are in violation of UN Security Council resolutions and have resulted in tough sanctions.

Why does Pyongyang continue with these launches, if they come at such a hefty cost to its economy?

The BBC's Laura Bicker runs us through some of the reasons why North Korean leader Kim Jong-un is determined to develop his country's missile programme.

Edited by Hosu Lee.

13 September 2021