SEOUL: North Korea’s reclusive leader Kim Jong Un oversaw the Sunday test-firing of hypersonic missiles in a drill made necessary by “the recent geopolitical crisis,” state media quoted him as saying.
The report Monday by Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) confirmed and added details about North Korea’s first missile launch of 2026, including that it employed a “cutting-edge” new weapon system using hypersonic missiles first tested in October.
Kim was not present for that launch, reports at the time said.
On Sunday, as he applauded the drill, the North Korean leader said that “important achievements have been recently made in putting our nuclear forces on a practical basis and preparing them for an actual war.”
“Why it is necessary is exemplified by the recent geopolitical crisis and complicated international events,” KCNA quoted him as saying.
North Korea on Sunday denounced the US capture of Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro as a “serious encroachment of sovereignty,” state media said.
The raid represents a nightmare scenario for North Korea’s leadership, which has long accused Washington of seeking to remove it from power.
Pyongyang has for decades justified its nuclear and missile programs as a deterrent against alleged regime change efforts by Washington.
South Korea’s military had reported the missile launches into the Sea of Japan on Sunday, saying it had detected “several projectiles, presumed to be ballistic missiles” fired from near Pyongyang around 7:50 am Sunday local time.
KCNA did not specify how many missiles were launched on Sunday but said they “hit the targets 1,000 km (620 miles) away” in the Sea of Japan.
The test-firing came as South Korean President Lee Jae Myung traveled to China for a four-day visit.
Lee, who is meeting with President Xi Jinping on Monday, is looking to boost economic ties with Seoul’s largest trading partner.
The South Korean leader also hopes to possibly harness China’s clout over North Korea to support his bid to improve ties with Pyongyang.