North Korean leader Kim Jong Un supervised a live-fire test of multiple rocket launchers along the country’s east coast on Saturday, accompanied by his teenage daughter, state media reported. The drill involved twelve 600mm ultra-precision multiple rocket launchers, according to the Korean Central News Agency (KCNA).
Rocket Launches Detected Near Pyongyang
South Korean military officials reported detecting about 10 ballistic missiles launched from the Pyongyang area during the exercise. The South Korean National Security Council condemned the launches as provocations and violations of United Nations Security Council resolutions banning North Korea from conducting ballistic missile tests. KCNA quoted Kim Jong Un saying the exercise demonstrated the destructive capacity of North Korea’s tactical nuclear weapons, stating “if this weapon is used, the opponent’s military infrastructure within its striking range can never survive.”
Appearance of Kim Jong Un’s Daughter Fuels Succession Speculation
Photos released by North Korean state media showed Kim accompanied by his daughter, believed to be Kim Ju Ae, who is estimated to be 13 or 14 years old. She was seen near the rocket launch trucks and participating in other military events, continuing a pattern since 2022 that has sparked speculation about her future role in leadership. Last month, reports indicated she was given a position in the regime’s “Missile Administration,” which manages Pyongyang’s nuclear arsenal.
The live-fire test coincided with the annual U.S.–South Korea joint military exercises, which North Korea routinely denounces as rehearsals for an invasion.
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