North Korea "Successful Test Firing of Super-Large Multiple Rocket Launcher on 29th"... Kim Jong-un Absent

"Defending the Party and Revolution with Invincible Military Power"

North Korea confirmed that the short-range ballistic missile suspected projectile launched on the 29th was a test firing of the 'super-large multiple rocket launcher.'

North Korea announced on the 30th that it successfully conducted a test firing of a super-large multiple rocket launcher on the 29th.

The North Korean state media, Korean Central News Agency (KCNA), reported that "the National Defense Science Institute conducted the test firing on March 29 with the purpose of reconfirming the tactical and technical characteristics of the super-large multiple rocket launcher being delivered to the Korean People's Army units."

The agency stated that "the test firing was successfully carried out."

However, it did not disclose whether Chairman Kim Jong Un attended, suggesting that he likely did not participate in this launch. It is assessed that Chairman Kim refrained from direct attendance and moderated the level of provocation in consideration of international concerns and condemnation regarding the missile launch.

Instead, the agency reported that "Ri Pyong Chol, Vice Chairman of the Party Central Committee in charge of military affairs, along with officials from the Party Central Committee's Military Industry Department and defense science research sector officials such as Jang Chang Ha and Jeon Il Ho, guided the event."

At the event, Vice Chairman Ri appealed for "the defense science research sector and the military labor force to intensify their relentless struggle to continue achieving the core defense science research goals and major weapons production plans set forth by the Party Central Committee, and to protect the Party and the revolution with invincible military power."

Meanwhile, earlier, the Joint Chiefs of Staff announced, "Our military detected two projectiles presumed to be short-range ballistic missiles launched from the Wonsan area toward the northeast over the East Sea at around 6:10 a.m. on the 29th." The projectiles were detected flying approximately 230 km with an altitude of about 30 km.

At 7 a.m., immediately after North Korea's launch, an emergency countermeasure meeting was held via video conference, chaired by National Security Office Director Chung Eui-yong, with Defense Minister Jeong Kyeong-doo and National Intelligence Service Director Suh Hoon in attendance.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.