The exercises took place in the Ryokpho area, located in Pyongyang, where the missiles successfully hit targets located 1,000 kilometers away in the Sea of Japan.
North Korean leader Kim Jong Un personally attended the exercises. He noted that "it is necessary to continue the development of military technologies, especially in the field of offensive weapons. This is an important measure for the protection of our country. We admit that our actions are aimed at improving nuclear deterrence, which has become particularly relevant in light of recent geopolitical crises and the tense international situation," the Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) quoted him as saying.
According to Reuters, analysts link these tests to Pyongyang's concerns about U.S. military actions in Venezuela. Expert Hong Min from the Korea Institute for National Unification pointed out the connection between Kim's words about the "recent geopolitical crisis" and current events.
Additionally, the day before, North Korea condemned U.S. actions in Venezuela, characterizing them as a violation of sovereignty. Interestingly, the missile launches occurred just hours before South Korean President Lee Jae-myung's departure to China, where a meeting with Chinese President Xi Jinping is scheduled.
According to South Korean media, on January 4, North Korea conducted several ballistic missile launches toward the Sea of Japan, which were launched from the vicinity of Pyongyang and covered a distance of about 900 km. In response, South Korean authorities held an emergency meeting on national security issues.
