North Korean leader Kim Jong Un supervised the test-launch of 12 600mm-caliber multiple rocket launchers, state media confirmed. The military exercise, observed by Kim and his daughter Kim Ju-ae, resulted in the rockets striking an island target in the East Sea of Korea at an exact range of 364.4 kilometers.
South Korea’s military independently tracked the event, detecting over 10 ballistic missiles fired from an area near Pyongyang at approximately 1:20 p.m. local time. Seoul authorities reported the flight paths at roughly 350 kilometers before the projectiles landed in the sea.
North Korea conducted a test of its "state of the art" multiple rocket launcher system (MRLS), state media reported Sunday, a day after Seoul identified the launch of around 10 ballistic missiles.
Kim Jong Un oversaw the test on Saturday, which "involved twelve 600mm-calibre… pic.twitter.com/Oj2dq0Bmm3
— Manila Standard (@mnlstandardph) March 14, 2026
According to the Korean Central News Agency, Kim stated the exercise was intended to expose “enemies within the 420-km striking range” to uneasiness. He added that the drills would provide “a deep understanding of the destructive power of tactical nuclear weapons.”
The rocket tests were executed in direct response to major annual joint military drills currently being conducted by the United States and South Korea. Earlier in the week, Kim’s sister, Kim Yo-jong, publicly condemned the allied exercises, labeling them a “provocative and aggressive war rehearsal.”
These recent launches represent a continuation of Pyongyang’s ongoing efforts to develop and diversify its means of delivering nuclear payloads. The country remains under multiple United States and UN Security Council sanctions, which have been active since 2006.