North Korea's Kim Jong-un leads missile test, stresses nuclear force readiness, KCNA says
Published: 09 May. 2025, 08:36
Updated: 10 May. 2025, 15:57
![North Korean leader Kim Jong-un, center, speaks to military leaders as he oversees a joint strike drill involving long-range artillery and a new variant of tactical ballistic missiles on the eastern front on May 8, 2025, in this photo released by the North's official Korean Central News Agency on May 9. In the drill, involving a multilayer rocket system and the Hwasongpho-11-Ka tactical ballistic missile, Kim emphasized the combat readiness of the country's nuclear forces, the report said. [YONHAP]](https://koreajoongangdaily.joins.com/data/photo/2025/05/10/ebba291d-39cd-4ca8-afdd-f178554c10c4.jpg)
North Korean leader Kim Jong-un, center, speaks to military leaders as he oversees a joint strike drill involving long-range artillery and a new variant of tactical ballistic missiles on the eastern front on May 8, 2025, in this photo released by the North's official Korean Central News Agency on May 9. In the drill, involving a multilayer rocket system and the Hwasongpho-11-Ka tactical ballistic missile, Kim emphasized the combat readiness of the country's nuclear forces, the report said. [YONHAP]
North Korean leader Kim Jong-un supervised a test of a short-range ballistic missile and long-range artillery on Thursday and stressed the importance of combat readiness of the country's nuclear forces, state media reported on Friday.
The test, which also included an inspection of the operational reliability of its "nuclear trigger" system, was designed to ensure the rapid response posture to counter the sensitive regional military climate, KCNA said.
South Korea and Japan on Thursday reported that multiple ballistic missiles had been fired from North Korea's east coast in what they believed to be a performance test of short-range missiles that had been already deployed.
KCNA said the 600 mm multiple launch rocket systems and tactical ballistic missile Hwasong-11 were mobilized for the test.
![North Korean leader Kim Jong-un oversaw a joint strike drill involving long-range artillery and missile systems on May 8, state-run Korean Central News Agency reported on May 9. [YONHAP]](https://koreajoongangdaily.joins.com/data/photo/2025/05/10/caa78ec0-8c52-43c2-8a22-dbe28115dd77.jpg)
North Korean leader Kim Jong-un oversaw a joint strike drill involving long-range artillery and missile systems on May 8, state-run Korean Central News Agency reported on May 9. [YONHAP]
Hwasong-11, known internationally as KN-23, is a series of the North's short-range ballistic missiles that Ukraine and Western officials have said were supplied to Russia and used to strike Ukraine.
Ahead of the missile launches, an inspection of a nuclear defense system, dubbed by the North as "nuclear trigger", took place, KCNA said.
"Kim Jong-un said that it is very important to steadily perfect the normal combat readiness of the nuclear force to deter war and fight war, " KCNA said.
"He said that the DPRK should continue to direct efforts to steadily improving the long-range precision striking capability and efficiency of weapons systems," KCNA said, using the short form for the country's official name, the Democratic People's Republic of Korea.
A South Korean military official and an analyst said Thursday's missile launches were was likely to test the performance of a short-range missile arsenal, possibly to upgrade it for export.
Reuters
with the Korea JoongAng Daily
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