North Korean leader Kim Jong Un personally supervised the test-firing of two newly developed antiair missiles, state media reported Sunday, in a show of advancing military capabilities as South Korea and the United States conduct joint exercises.
According to the Korean Central News Agency (KCNA), Saturday’s test demonstrated the missiles’ effectiveness against aerial threats, including drones and cruise missiles. Kim reportedly gave defense scientists unspecified “important” assignments ahead of a major political conference set for early next year. The report did not disclose details about the types of missiles tested or the location of the launch, nor did it cite any direct comments from Kim toward Washington or Seoul.
The test coincided with South Korean President Lee Jae Myung’s visit to Tokyo for talks with Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba. The two leaders pledged closer bilateral ties and stronger trilateral cooperation with the United States to counter shared challenges, particularly North Korea’s nuclear ambitions. Lee is scheduled to travel to Washington on Sunday for a summit with U.S. President Donald Trump.
Despite repeated calls from Seoul and Washington to resume nuclear talks, Pyongyang has focused on deepening its partnership with Russia. Since Moscow’s invasion of Ukraine, Kim has sent thousands of troops and large consignments of weapons — including artillery and ballistic missiles — to bolster President Vladimir Putin’s war effort.
North Korea slams South for ‘serious provocation’ after border warning shots
South Korean assessments suggest around 15,000 North Korean troops have been deployed to Russia since last fall, with some 600 killed in combat. Pyongyang has also agreed to dispatch construction workers and deminers to Russia’s Kursk region, a move South Korean intelligence believes could take place soon.
Last week, Kim presided over a ceremony in Pyongyang honoring soldiers returning from Ukraine, awarding state “hero” titles to survivors and laying medals beside 101 portraits of the dead, hailing them as “great men, great heroes and great patriots.”
Source: Agency