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| A new submarine-launched ballistic missile is seen during a test in this undated photo released on October 19, 2021, by North Korea's Korean Central News Agency (File photo by=KCNA via Reuters) |
[Asia News = Reporter Reakkana] SEOUL: North Korea on Friday confirmed this week's two rounds of weapons tests involving long-range cruise missiles and surface-to-surface tactical guided missiles, while leader Kim Jong-un publicly visited a munitions factory for the first time in years.
On Thursday, South Korea's military said the North fired what appeared to be two short-range ballistic missiles toward the East Sea, marking its sixth such launch this month. The latest saber-rattling came just two days after Pyongyang launched two apparent cruise missiles from an inland area. Leader Kim Jong-un didn’t attend the latest firings. Kim instead was at a munitions factory "producing a major weapons system," accompanied by his influential sister, Kim Yo-jong, and a senior party official, Jo Yong-won.
Officials at the factory cherished "the unwavering will" of the North Korean leader "who smashes with his bold pluck the challenges of the U.S. imperialists and their vassal forces that try to violate in every direction our Republic's right to self-defense." The KCNA didn’t provide further details regarding when the visit was made, but the North's state media usually reports on Kim's activities a day later. It's the first time in years for the North's state media to report on Kim's visit to a munitions factory.
