North Korea says leader Kim Jong Un supervised tests of artillery systems targeting Seoul

By KIM TONG-HYUNG
Associated Press

SEOUL, South Korea (AP) — North Korean leader Kim Jong Un supervised a live-fire drill of nuclear-capable “super-large” multiple rocket launchers designed to target South Korea’s capital as he vowed to boost his war deterrent in the face of deepening confrontations with rivals, state media said. The report Tuesday came a day after the South Korean and Japanese militaries said they detected North Korea firing multiple short-range ballistic missiles toward waters off its eastern coast, adding to a streak of weapons displays that have raised regional tensions. Tensions on the Korean Peninsula have risen since 2022, after Kim used Russia’s invasion of Ukraine as a distraction to accelerate his testing of missiles and other weapons.