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North Korea's Kim oversees test launch of long-range strategic cruise missiles

Published: 29 Dec. 2025, 10:18 Updated: 29 Dec. 2025, 17:37

KIM MIN-YOUNG
[email protected]

North Korea fires a new long-range anti-air missile into the East Sea on Dec. 24, in this photo carried by the North's official Korean Central News Agency the following day. [YONHAP]

North Korean leader Kim Jong-un has overseen a test launch of long-range strategic cruise missiles, calling for the "unlimited and sustained" development of state nuclear combat forces, state media reported Monday.

The drill took place Sunday in the Yellow Sea, demonstrating "the absolute reliability and combat readiness of the North's strategic counterattack capability," according to the Korean Central News Agency (KCNA).

The strategic cruise missiles flew along the preset flight orbit for 10,199 seconds and 10,203 seconds to hit a target, it said.

"He affirmed that the Workers' Party of Korea and the DPRK government would devote all their efforts to the unlimited and sustained development of the state nuclear combat force," the KCNA reported, using the acronym of North Korea's official name, the Democratic People's Republic of Korea.

Kim stressed the importance of checking the reliability and rapid response of components of North Korea's nuclear deterrent regularly, as Pyongyang is facing various security threats, it said.

"In order to satisfy the prospective demands of the missile and artillery forces of the Korean People's Army, it is necessary to continuously raise the level of modernization of the munitions industry by establishing new munitions industry enterprises as planned," Kim said last Friday, according to the KCNA.

North Korean leader Kim Jong-un, center, inspects major munitions factories while calling for expanding the production of missiles and shells, in this photo carried by the North's official Korean Central News Agency on Dec. 26. [KOREAN CENTRAL NEWS AGENCY]

The South Korean military said it detected the launch of multiple missiles from the Sunan area near Pyongyang at around 8 a.m. Sunday, noting that North Korea may conduct additional missile tests at the end of the year.

The latest missile launch came after Kim inspected the test-firing of new long-range anti-air missiles in the East Sea on Wednesday.

Ahead of next year's key party congress, the North's leader has ramped up his inspections of military-related sites in an apparent bid to tout the country's accomplishments in the defense sector.

Kim inspected an 8,700-ton "nuclear-powered strategic guided missile submarine" under construction, warning that South Korea's plan to build nuclear-powered submarines will be a threat to the North's security that "must be countered," the KCNA reported Thursday.

"North Korea may conduct additional missile tests ahead of the year-end holiday season," said a South Korean military official.

BY KIM MIN-YOUNG, YONHAP [[email protected]]