North Korean dictator Kim Jong Un personally supervised the launch of five enhanced short-range ballistic missiles on Sunday, the country’s state-run media announced Monday.
According to the Korean Central News Agency, the weapons testing featured upgraded Hwasong-11LA tactical ballistic missiles equipped with newly developed warheads, including cluster and fragmentation varieties designed for ground-to-ground strikes.
The missiles were launched toward an island target approximately 85 miles away, successfully hitting a concentrated area spanning roughly 31 to 32 acres with what officials described as exceptional precision, showcasing the weapon system’s ability to deliver devastating concentrated attacks.
South Korean military officials confirmed their northern neighbor conducted the missile launches around 6:10 a.m. Sunday from the vicinity of Sinpo on North Korea’s eastern coastline, with the projectiles traveling roughly 90 miles before impact.
State media quoted Kim as stating that developing warheads for various military operations would enable his forces to “meet operational needs more effectively, combining precision strike capabilities with increased firepower against designated areas.”
The North Korean leader reportedly praised the test outcomes, describing them as validation that “years of work by a specialised missile warhead research group had not been in vain,” and encouraged defense researchers to keep developing technologies to enhance military preparedness.
Multiple high-ranking military commanders joined Kim during the weapons demonstration, state media reported.
This latest missile activity marks North Korea’s fourth ballistic weapons test in April and the seventh conducted this year.
South Korean officials at the presidential Blue House condemned the launches Sunday, characterizing them as “provocations” that breach United Nations Security Council resolutions, according to news reports.
