North Korea links Sunday’s missile launch to ‘recent geopolitical crisis’
Kim Jong-un, who denounced the US capture of Venezuela’s Maduro, said achievements have been made in preparing forces ‘for an actual war’
North Korea’s reclusive leader Kim Jong-un oversaw the Sunday test-firing of hypersonic missiles in a drill made necessary by “the recent geopolitical crisis”, state media quoted him as saying.
The report on Monday by Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) confirmed and added details about North Korea’s first missile launch of 2026, including that it employed a “cutting-edge” new weapon system using hypersonic missiles first tested in October.
Kim was not present for that launch, reports at the time said.
On Sunday, as he applauded the drill, the North Korean leader said that “important achievements have been recently made in putting our nuclear forces on a practical basis and preparing them for an actual war”.
“Why it is necessary is exemplified by the recent geopolitical crisis and complicated international events,” KCNA quoted Kim as saying.
North Korea on Sunday denounced the US capture of Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro as a “serious encroachment of sovereignty”, state media said.