North Korea announced on Monday that it conducted launches of long-range strategic missiles toward the sea, as part of tests to strengthen its ability to deter nuclear threats. The move comes just days after notable progress in the construction of Pyongyang’s first nuclear submarines.
According to official North Korean sources, the tests carried out on Sunday are part of the country’s latest demonstration of military capabilities ahead of the upcoming Workers’ Party Congress, expected to take place early next year. This will be the first congress in five years.
International attention will focus on whether leader Kim Jong-un will announce new priorities for relations with the United States and respond to Washington’s long-suspended denuclearization talks.
The Korean Central News Agency reported that Kim Jong-un expressed “great satisfaction” with the success of Sunday’s missile launches, which were conducted off the country’s western coast.
