North Korea has test-fired two newly developed air defence missiles under the supervision of leader Kim Jong-un, according to state media reports released on August 24, reports the South Korean Yonhap News Agency.

The Missile Administration carried out the exercise a day prior, launching two types of improved projectiles against different targets to assess their combat readiness. Kim was present for the event, accompanied by senior party and military figures, among them Air Force Commander Marshal Kim Kwang-hyok.

The test was presented as demonstrating the missiles’ capacity to respond swiftly to a range of aerial threats, including drones and cruise missiles. State media described the weapons as employing distinctive technology and said the evaluation confirmed their effectiveness in neutralising multiple kinds of airborne targets.

The trial coincided with the ongoing Ulchi Freedom Shield joint military exercise between South Korea and the United States, which began on August 18 and is scheduled to run for 11 days. Since its commencement, Pyongyang has issued a series of denunciations, accusing Seoul and Washington of preparing for conflict.

Kim is reported to have set further tasks for the country’s defence scientists ahead of a key party meeting, although no details were given.

The timing of the launch was also notable, however, taking place on the same day South Korean President Lee Jae-myung met Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba in Tokyo, before travelling to Washington for a planned summit with US President Donald Trump on August 25.

The latest demonstration follows a series of weapons tests in recent months, underlining Pyongyang’s continued drive to modernise its missile capabilities while signalling defiance amid heightened regional security tensions.