North Korean leader oversees new missile test, state media says
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Diverging Reports Breakdown
Kim Jong Un supervises new missile tests as North Korea boasts advances with ‘unique technology’
North Korean leader Kim Jong Un supervised the test-firing of two types of new air defence missiles, state media said on Sunday. The report did not specify the missiles that were tested or where the event took place. The test coincided with new South Korean president Lee Jae Myung’s trip to Tokyo for a summit with Japanese prime minister Shigeru Ishiba. Kim has repeatedly dismissed calls by Seoul and Washington to restart long-stalled negotiations aimed at winding down his nuclear weapons and missiles programmes. He continues to prioritise Russia as part of a foreign policy aimed at expanding ties with nations confronting the United States.
North Korean leader Kim Jong Un supervised the test-firing of two types of new air defence missiles, state media said on Sunday, displaying his expanding military capabilities as the South Korean and US militaries carry out joint drills.
The state-run Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) claimed the test on Saturday proved the missiles effective in countering aerial threats such as drones and cruise missiles, saying they had “superior combat capability” and used a “unique technology”.
The report did not specify the missiles that were tested or where the event took place.
KCNA reported that Kim assigned “important” tasks to his military scientists ahead of a major political conference early next year. It did not mention any new remarks by Kim directed at Washington or Seoul.
The test coincided with new South Korean president Lee Jae Myung ’s trip to Tokyo for a summit with Japanese prime minister Shigeru Ishiba, where they vowed to strengthen bilateral cooperation and their trilateral partnership with the United States to address common challenges, including North Korea’s nuclear ambitions. Lee was to depart for Washington on Sunday for a summit Donald Trump.
Kim’s government has repeatedly dismissed calls by Seoul and Washington to restart long-stalled negotiations aimed at winding down his nuclear weapons and missiles programmes, as he continues to prioritise Russia as part of a foreign policy aimed at expanding ties with nations confronting the United States.
Since Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, Kim has sent thousands of troops and large shipments of weapons, including artillery and ballistic missiles, to help fuel president Vladimir Putin’s war.
That has raised concerns Moscow could provide technology that strengthens Kim’s nuclear-armed military, with experts pointing to North Korea’s aging anti-air and radar systems as a likely area of cooperation.
South Korea’s previous conservative government said in November that Russia supplied missiles and other equipment to help strengthen air defences of the North Korean capital of Pyongyang, but did not specify which systems were provided.
Kim held a ceremony in Pyongyang last week to honor North Korean soldiers who fought in Ukraine, awarding state “hero” titles to those who returned and placing medals beside 101 portraits of the fallen, praising them as “great men, great heroes and great patriots,” state media reported.
According to South Korean assessments, North Korea has sent around 15,000 troops to Russia since last fall and about 600 of them have died in combat.
Kim has also agreed to send thousands of military construction workers and deminers to Russia’s Kursk region, a deployment South Korean intelligence believes could happen soon.
North Korea leader Kim oversees firing of new air defence missiles, KCNA says
North Korean leader Kim Jong Un supervised the firing of new air defence missiles. Report came ahead of the summit on Monday between US President Donald Trump and South Korea President Lee Jae Myung.
The report came ahead of the summit on Monday between US President Donald Trump and South Korea President Lee Jae Myung.
Earlier this month, Kim condemned the US-South Korea joint military drills as their intent to remain “most hostile and confrontational” to his country, pledging to speed up nuclear build-up.
The new anti-air weapon systems showed “fast response” to aerial targets such as attack drones and cruise missiles, KCNA said.
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North Korea: Kim oversees ‘new’ missile test — state media
Kim Jong Un supervised a test firing of two “new” air defense missiles, state media reports. The report did not provide any details on the missiles, nor on where the test was held. The reported missile test comes as the United States and South Korea hold joint military exercises, which began on Monday. South Korean president Lee Jae Myung has called for warmer ties with North Korea, but Pyongyang has dismissed the idea of improving relations.
The North Korean state media’s report did not provide any details on the missiles, nor on where the test was held.
It said the test-firing took place on Saturday, and that it had demonstrated the “superior combat capability” of the “improved” missile weapon systems.
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“The firing particularly proved that the technological features of two types of projectiles are very suitable for destroying various aerial targets,” KCNA said.
Missile test held amid surging tensions on Korean peninsula
South Korea’s military said Saturday that it had fired warning shots at around 30 North Korean troops who last week had briefly crossed the military demarcation line at the heavily mined Demilitarized Zone (DMZ), which separates the two nations.
North Korean state media quoted Army Lieutenant General Ko Jong Chol as saying that the incident was a “premeditated and deliberate provocation.”
“This is a very serious prelude that would inevitably drive the situation in the southern border area, where a huge number of forces are stationed in confrontation with each other, to the uncontrollable phase,” said Ko.
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The reported missile test on Saturday also comes as the United States and South Korea hold joint military exercises, which began on Monday.
This month, Kim slammed the annual drills, calling them “hostile and confrontational.”
South Korean president Lee Jae Myung has called for warmer ties with North Korea and pledged to build “military trust,” but Pyongyang has dismissed the idea of improving relations.
Lee took office in June after a period of deep chill under his hawkish predecessor, Yoon Suk Yeol.
Lee is due to meet his US PresidentDonald Trump in Washington, DC, on Monday for their first summit.
Edited by: Karl Sexton
North Korea leader Kim oversees firing of new air defense missiles, KCNA says
North Korean leader Kim Jong-un supervised the firing of new air defense missiles to test their combat capability. The new anti-air weapon systems showed “fast response” to aerial targets such as attack drones and cruise missiles, KCNA said. The report comes ahead of the summit between US president Donald Trump and South Korean president Lee Jae-myung.
North Korean leader Kim Jong Un visits a Choe Hyon-class destroyer, in North Korea, August 18, 2025, in this photo released by North Korea’s official Korean Central News Agency. KCNA via REUTERS
The report comes ahead of the summit between US president Donald Trump and South Korean president Lee Jae-myung
SEOUL, South Korea – North Korean leader Kim Jong-un supervised the firing of new air defense missiles to test their combat capability, state media KCNA reported on Sunday, August 24.
The report came ahead of the summit on Monday, August 25, between US President Donald Trump and South Korea President Lee Jae-myung.
Earlier this month, Kim condemned the US-South Korea joint military drills as their intent to remain “most hostile and confrontational” to his country, pledging to speed up nuclear build-up.
The new anti-air weapon systems showed “fast response” to aerial targets such as attack drones and cruise missiles, KCNA said. – Rappler.com
North Korea’s Kim oversees test-firing of new air defence missiles: Report
Report comes a day before US President Donald Trump’s summit with his South Korean counterpart, Lee Jae-myung, in Washington, DC. South Korean military announced it had fired warning shots at several North Korean soldiers who had briefly crossed their heavily militarised border on Tuesday. North Korean state media, meanwhile, quoted Army Lieutenant General Ko Jong Chol as saying the incident was a “premeditated and deliberate provocation”. North Korea has said it has no interest in improving relations with Seoul.
North Korean leader Kim Jong Un has overseen the firing of two new air defence missiles, state media reported, announcing that the tests showed the weapons had “superior combat capability”.
The report on Sunday comes a day before United States President Donald Trump meets his South Korean counterpart, Lee Jae-myung, in Washington, DC.
North Korea’s Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) said the tests, which took place on Saturday, showed that the missiles demonstrated a “fast response” to aerial targets such as attack drones and cruise missiles.
The report did not explain the new missiles in any detail, only that their “operation and reaction mode is based on unique and special technology”.
It also did not say where the test had been carried out.
The launches also come as South Korea and the US continue their annual joint military drills and as the South Korean military announced that it had fired warning shots at several North Korean soldiers who had briefly crossed their heavily militarised border on Tuesday.
The United Nations Command in South Korea put the number of North Korean troops that crossed the border at 30, the Yonhap news agency reported.
North Korean state media, meanwhile, quoted Army Lieutenant General Ko Jong Chol as saying the incident was a “premeditated and deliberate provocation”.
“This is a very serious prelude that would inevitably drive the situation in the southern border area, where a huge number of forces are stationing in confrontation with each other, to the uncontrollable phase,” Ko said.
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Earlier this month, Kim condemned the US-South Korea joint military drills as their intent to remain “most hostile and confrontational” to his country, pledging to speed up nuclear build-up.
South Korea’s new leader, Lee, has sought warmer ties with the nuclear-armed neighbour, and has promised to build “military trust”, but Pyongyang has said it has no interest in improving relations with Seoul.