North Korean leader Kim Jong Un oversaw the launch of long-range strategic cruise missiles on Sunday, in what state media described as a test confirming the country’s nuclear deterrent and readiness to respond to security threats.
The missiles flew along a trajectory over waters west of the Korean Peninsula before striking their target, the state news agency KCNA reported on Monday.
Kim expressed “great satisfaction” with the launch, calling regular checks of the country’s nuclear deterrent a “responsible exercise” amid what he described as ongoing security challenges facing the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea.
Kim said North Korea would continue devoting all its efforts to the “unlimited” development of its nuclear combat force, KCNA said.
South Korea’s Joint Chiefs of Staff said its military detected the launch of multiple cruise missiles at around 8 a.m. on Sunday from the Sunan area near Pyongyang.
South Korean defence officials said a series of recent North Korean military activities, including reported work on a nuclear-powered submarine, were undermining peace and stability on the Korean Peninsula.
The missile launch follows reports last week that Kim observed the construction of a nuclear-powered submarine alongside his daughter and oversaw the test-firing of long-range surface-to-air missiles.
South Korea’s Yonhap news agency reported that additional missile tests could take place around the New Year, though South Korea’s military declined to comment.
Hong Min, an analyst at the Korea Institute for National Unification in Seoul, said the latest launch was likely aimed at testing upgrades to cruise missiles capable of carrying both conventional and nuclear warheads.
The missile test comes amid a period of heightened activity by Kim ahead of a ruling Workers’ Party congress scheduled for early 2026. In recent weeks, Kim has attended a series of military inspections as well as the opening of industrial and infrastructure projects, including a paper mill inaugurated on Sunday.
North Korea is expected to convene the Ninth Congress of the Workers’ Party of Korea in early 2026, as it seeks to complete its current five-year development plan.
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