Kim Jong Un Oversees Major Missile and Rocket Tests on Korean War Anniversary
North Korean leader Kim Jong Un personally supervised a large-scale weapons test on June 25, the 76th anniversary of the outbreak of the Korean War, according to state media reports released early Friday.
The tests, conducted under the supervision of the Academy of Defence Sciences, involved several upgraded conventional strike systems designed to enhance North Korea’s ability to conduct precision attacks against targets in South Korea.
Among the weapons tested was an upgraded 240mm Multiple Launch Rocket System (MLRS) equipped with a new autonomous precision-guidance system. The improved rocket launcher reportedly has an operational range of up to 90 kilometers, allowing it to strike military facilities deep inside South Korean territory with greater accuracy.
North Korea also tested a new variant of its tactical ballistic missile system, reportedly fitted with a special-purpose warhead. According to Pyongyang, the weapon is intended to destroy high-value strategic targets such as air bases, ports, logistics hubs and power plants during wartime.
In addition, North Korea unveiled an upgraded 155mm self-propelled artillery shell with an extended firing range, further increasing the strike capabilities of its frontline artillery units deployed near the Demilitarized Zone (DMZ).
Kim emphasized the need to continuously modernize the country’s conventional and strategic forces, stating that the Korean People’s Army must maintain overwhelming combat readiness amid what Pyongyang describes as growing military threats from the United States and South Korea.
The timing of the tests on the anniversary of the Korean War is widely seen as a symbolic political message aimed at both Seoul and Washington, underscoring North Korea’s continued focus on military expansion and deterrence.
