Islam Times – North Korean leader Kim Jong-un personally oversaw a missile drill on Sunday, testing the country’s hypersonic missile capabilities as part of its ongoing efforts to strengthen its “war deterrent.”The test, which took place early in the morning, saw the missile launch from the Ryokpho District in Pyongyang. It traveled 1,000 kilometers before striking a target in the Sea of Japan, according to the Korean Central News Agency [KCNA]. The test was framed by state media as an operational evaluation of the country’s strategic weapons.
While North Korea did not explicitly connect the missile test to the situation in Venezuela, its official statements drew a clear parallel between the two events. At the same time as the missile launch, the North Korean Foreign Ministry issued a strong condemnation of the United States’ military actions in Venezuela, calling them “the most serious form of encroachment on sovereignty” and accusing Washington of being “rogue and brutal.”
Kim Jong-un, observing the launch, described it as a “very important strategic task” aimed at bolstering the country’s nuclear deterrent. He emphasized that North Korea’s weapons development was essential for self-defense, particularly in light of what he called “recent geopolitical crises and complicated international events.”
The North Korean leader praised the missile unit for executing the “first combat drill of the new year” and extended his New Year’s greetings to the missile forces, describing them as a “reliable shield for defending sovereignty and security.”
North Korea has long maintained that its weapons programs are necessary for self-defense in the face of perceived threats, particularly from the United States, South Korea, and Japan. Pyongyang views joint military exercises between these countries as efforts to create an “Asian version of NATO,” which it claims undermines regional security.