World · Singapore Bureau
North Korea confirms intermediate-range missile test
Pyongyang has conducted a test of an intermediate-range strategic missile, according to a statement from Kim Yo Jong, the influential sister of leader Kim Jong Un. The announcement marks another weapons demonstration by the isolated state.
LSN Singapore ·
North Korea confirmed Saturday that it had carried out a test of an intermediate-range strategic missile, with the disclosure coming from Kim Yo Jong, a senior official and the powerful sibling of supreme leader Kim Jong Un.
The statement from Kim Yo Jong underscores Pyongyang's continued advancement of its weapons programme despite international sanctions and diplomatic pressure. The intermediate-range classification suggests the missile is designed to strike targets at distances greater than those achievable by short-range systems.
The test represents the latest in a series of weapons demonstrations by North Korea this year, reflecting the country's focus on expanding its military capabilities. Such tests have drawn repeated condemnation from regional powers and the United States, which views the weapons development as a destabilising threat to peace on the Korean Peninsula.
Pyongyang has historically used high-profile weapons tests to signal its technological progress and bolster its negotiating position. The involvement of Kim Yo Jong in announcing the test underscores her prominent role in the regime's decision-making apparatus and military affairs.