North Korea releases images of 28 November weapon test

Images released by North Korea’s state-run media show that the weapon system the country tested on 28 November was the same ‘super-large multiple rocket launcher [MRL]’ it had tested on 31 October, 10 September, and 24 August.

Pyongyang’s Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) reported on 29 November that the “volley” test-firings, which were carried out by the Academy of Defence Science, were aimed at verifying “the combat application” of the super-large MRL, and proved the military and technical superiority of the weapon system and its firm reliability”.

North Korea confirmed on 29 November that the weapon system it tested the previous day was the same ‘super-large’ MRL it had tested on 31 October, 10 September, and 24 August. (KCNA)

The KCNA provided no further details about the tactical weapon system, which is reportedly designated KN-25 by US Forces Korea, or the firings, which marked Pyongyang’s 13th weapon test this year.

That said, the state-run media outlet added that North Korean leader Kim Jong-un, who inspected the launch of the two projectiles and expressed “great satisfaction” with the test-firings, has seen to it “that lots of arms and equipment of powerful performance were developed and perfected this year for the military and technical strengthening of the KPA [Korean People’s Army].

The KCNA report came a day after South Korea’s Joint Chiefs of Staff (JCS) said North Korea had fired two unidentified short-range projectiles in an easterly direction at about 1659 h local time from an area near the town of Yonpo in North Korea’s eastern province of South Hamgyong.