North Korea has confirmed that it carried out a test of an intermediate-range strategic missile, with leader Kim Jong Un personally overseeing the exercise.
Kim Yo Jong, Kim Jong Un’s powerful sister and a senior official in the ruling Workers’ Party, disclosed the test in a statement on Saturday.
Her announcement came after South Korea’s military reported earlier that North Korea had fired a ballistic missile that travelled more than 700 kilometres towards waters off the country’s eastern coast.
Kim Yo Jong said the launch involved what she described as a “strategic weapon” and was conducted by a “firepower sub-unit undertaking an exclusive special mission.”
She said Kim Jong Un supervised the drill as the missile was launched towards the sea off North Korea’s east coast.
Kim also criticised the tracking capabilities of South Korea and Japan, referring to information released by both countries about the missile’s flight distance.
She claimed that North Korea had used a wave-like flight trajectory that made the missile difficult for its neighbours to track.
“Whenever we applied the wave-like trajectory mode to missiles, the enemy failed to track the targets from their first skip points,” she said, without providing evidence to support the claim.
Kim Yo Jong also said South Korea and Japan should pay attention to the missile’s speed, although she did not disclose the actual speed.
She further claimed that the missile had the ability to alter its flight path at low altitude using artificial intelligence technology.
“In other words, this means that there is no way to avoid this attack,” she said.
The claims about the missile’s manoeuvrability and AI capabilities have not been independently verified. South Korea and Japan have been monitoring North Korea’s missile activities closely.
More Than 10 Missile Tests This Year
The latest launch adds to a series of missile tests conducted by North Korea this year.
Pyongyang has carried out more than 10 missile tests in 2026, with North Korean authorities sometimes describing the exercises as tests of new weapons systems.
Several of the launches have taken place after North Korea objected to joint military exercises involving South Korea and the United States.
The latest test also comes at a time of heightened tensions between the two Koreas following a landmine explosion in the Demilitarized Zone.
Tensions Rise Over Border Mine Blast
The missile launch followed a statement by Kim Yo Jong on Friday rejecting Seoul’s demand for an apology over what South Korea said were North Korean mines that seriously injured South Korean soldiers in the heavily fortified border area.
North Korea rejected the accusation and dismissed South Korea’s demand for an apology.
The latest missile activity has therefore added another layer of tension to already strained relations between Pyongyang and Seoul.
South Korea has continued to strengthen its monitoring of North Korean military activities, while Pyongyang has maintained a more confrontational stance towards its southern neighbour.
