5 May

North Korea's state media has announced that the country's leader Kim Jong Un observed a strike drill using a large-caliber long-range rocket system and a tactical guided weapon.

The Korean Central News Agency reported on Sunday morning that the purpose of the drill was to estimate and inspect the operating ability of the weapons. The ruling party newspaper Rodong Sinmun published a photograph of Kim using binoculars to watch a projectile shoot up. Another photo shows what appear to be multiple rocket launchers.

The state media say Kim stressed the need for all service members to maintain a posture of high alert and more dynamically wage the drive to increase the combat capability to defend the country. The South Korean military earlier said the North launched several short-range projectiles Saturday morning from around its east coast town of Wonsan.

Analysts say Pyongyang is expressing its defiance of international sanctions and hopes to rattle the United States and South Korea by acting in a way that does not violate UN Security Council resolutions.—NHK