North Korea’s state-run media, Rodong Sinmun, reported on Friday that the Missile Administration had successfully conducted a test launch of a newly mass-produced anti-air (surface-to-air) missile system to verify its overall combat performance.
The reports stated that Kim Jong Un, Chairman of the State Affairs Commission, observed the test launch on March 20 alongside key members of the Central Military Commission and noted that full-scale production of the weapon system had commenced at a munitions industrial facility. However, the media did not disclose the specific name of the missile system or its exact launch location.
The report included photographs showing the missile hitting a target over the sea and appearing to explode midair, as well as images of Kim Jong Un watching the test results on a monitor and expressing satisfaction.
The media further claimed that the test launch confirmed the missile system’s superior combat responsiveness and overall high reliability.
Kim Jong Un reportedly remarked, “We are equipping our military with another key defensive weapon system boasting commendable combat capabilities. ” He expressed his gratitude to the research group behind the anti-air missile system and the munitions factory involved, stating that they had made a significant contribution to strengthening national defense capabilities.
On March 10, North Korea launched Close-Range Ballistic Missiles (CRBMs) on the first day of the Freedom Shield (FS) joint South Korean-U.S. military exercise, the first such exercise since the start of the second Trump administration.
South Korea’s Joint Chiefs of Staff (JCS) stated, “We detected multiple ballistic missiles launched from inland in North Hwanghae Province toward the West Sea,” adding that the missiles were likely CRBMs. The South Korean military has heightened surveillance and vigilance, maintaining full readiness in close cooperation with U.S. forces.
Additionally, since the beginning of Trump’s second term, North Korea has twice launched cruise missiles, which are not currently subject to UN Security Council sanctions.
As of now, the JCS has not stated North Korea’s claim of a successful anti-air missile test.
