North Korean leader Kim Jong Un personally watched a series of major weapons tests and demanded that his military build up what he called a “deadly and destructive offensive posture,” according to North Korea’s state-run media on Friday. The announcement came just days after the country put its first naval destroyer into service.
The move fits a broader pattern of Kim pushing to expand both nuclear and conventional military power while refusing to engage in diplomatic talks with South Korea or the United States.
Thursday’s tests were designed to measure the destructive power of a “special mission” warhead fitted to a tactical ballistic missile, an upgraded multiple rocket launch system, and the accuracy of shells fired at extended range from a self-propelled gun-howitzer, according to the official Korean Central News Agency, known as KCNA.
KCNA reported that Kim said the test results demonstrated technological advancement in efforts to shift the military’s fire posture along the southern border — a statement widely understood to mean the weapons systems are intended to strike targets in South Korea, including American military installations located there.
Kim described his country’s self-defense policy as one that aims to build “the deadly and destructive offensive posture to make no enemy dare to confront.” He added, “To make the enemies feel constant uneasiness and fear is just an important aspect of the exercise of war deterrent.”
State media also reported that the special mission warhead is specifically designed for “inflicting fatal damage on major targets including airfields, ports and power facilities of the enemy.”
Earlier this week on Tuesday, North Korea officially commissioned the Choe Hyon, a 5,000-ton destroyer that Kim described as a symbol of his nation’s expanding naval and nuclear strength. It is considered the most advanced warship in North Korea’s fleet.
Kim’s military buildup has accelerated since high-stakes diplomatic negotiations with U.S. President Donald Trump fell apart in 2019. Since then, he has focused on growing both his nuclear and missile programs while also investing in more sophisticated conventional weapons.
In response to Trump’s repeated attempts to restart diplomatic conversations, Kim has indicated that talks could happen — but only if the United States drops its requirement that North Korea give up its nuclear weapons as a condition for negotiations. Kim has also taken an increasingly hostile stance toward South Korea, labeling it his country’s “principal enemy” and constructing additional military infrastructure along the heavily fortified border between the two nations.
In recent years, Kim has also expanded North Korea’s international relationships, most notably by deepening ties with Russia in support of its ongoing war in Ukraine. Earlier this month, Chinese President Xi Jinping traveled to North Korea for his first visit in seven years, where he met with Kim.
