SEOUL, Jan. 5 (UPI) -- North Korean leader Kim Jong Un oversaw hypersonic missile firing drills, state media reported Monday, citing a "geopolitical crisis" as justification for a weapons test that followed recent U.S. military action in Venezuela.
The missiles were launched Sunday from a military base near Pyongyang toward the East Sea and successfully struck designated targets about 621 miles away, the state-run Korean Central News Agency reported.
The launch took place shortly after the United States announced the capture of Venezuelan leader Nicolas Maduro in a large-scale military strike, an episode Kim appeared to reference in his comments.
"Such activity is clearly aimed at gradually putting the nuclear war deterrent on a highly developed basis," Kim was quoted by KCNA as saying. "The reason why it is necessary is exemplified by the recent geopolitical crisis and complicated international events."
Related
