North Korean state media reported that the country has successfully test-fired two new air defense missiles under the supervision of leader Kim Jong Un.
According to the Korean Central News Agency (KCNA), the weapons demonstrated “advanced combat capability” and were developed with “unique technology.” Although no technical details were disclosed, KCNA said the trial confirmed the missiles are effective against various aerial threats such as drones and cruise missiles.
The launch, which took place on Saturday, came shortly after tensions rose at the Demilitarised Zone (DMZ). Earlier in the week, South Korea fired warning shots after about 30 North Korean soldiers briefly crossed the heavily fortified border, according to the United Nations Command and Yonhap News Agency. Pyongyang later accused Seoul of engaging in a “deliberate provocation.”
The incident occurred as South Korea and the United States carried out large-scale joint military exercises, which began on Monday. North Korea has long criticized such drills, with Kim Jong Un recently labeling them “the most hostile and confrontational.” He also pledged to accelerate efforts to expand his nation’s nuclear arsenal.
Adding to the diplomatic backdrop, U.S. President Donald Trump is set to meet South Korea’s new president, Lee Jae Myung, in Washington on Monday. Lee, who won office campaigning on closer ties with Pyongyang, has faced rejection from Kim’s sister, who dismissed his reconciliation attempts.
Earlier this year, North Korea also claimed to have tested an intermediate-range ballistic missile equipped with a hypersonic warhead, saying it would strengthen deterrence across the Pacific region.
Meanwhile, questions remain about whether Russia has assisted in Pyongyang’s weapons development. South Korean officials previously warned that Moscow may have provided missile technology and other defense equipment in return for North Korean military support in its war against Ukraine. However, it is still unclear if the latest missile test involved Russian cooperation.
North Korea, ruled for decades by the Kim family, remains one of the world’s most closed and authoritarian states. The Korean Peninsula itself has been divided since the 1953 armistice that ended fighting in the Korean War. Because no peace treaty was ever signed, North and South Korea are still technically at war, despite the absence of direct clashes in recent years.
