North Korean leader Kim Jong Un and his teenage daughter observed the testing of strategic cruise missiles launched from a naval destroyer, state media reported Wednesday, as Pyongyang threatened retaliation over ongoing US-South Korean military exercises.
Photos released by the Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) showed Kim and his daughter believed to be Kim Ju Ae, about 13 inside a command room watching footage of missiles being fired from the Choe Hyon, a year‑old warship in North Korea’s navy.
KCNA said Kim monitored Tuesday’s launches via video and stressed the importance of maintaining “a powerful and reliable nuclear war deterrent.” The agency did not mention his daughter in its written report, despite her presence in the images.
Kim Ju Ae has appeared alongside her father at major military events since late 2022, including parades and weapons tests. South Korea’s intelligence agency recently assessed that Kim Jong Un may be preparing to designate her as his successor.
According to KCNA, the missiles struck target islands off North Korea’s west coast. Kim said the tests were intended to demonstrate the navy’s strategic offensive readiness and ensure troops remain familiar with live‑fire operations.
The launches came just days after the start of the Freedom Shield joint US-South Korean drills an 11‑day exercise combining computer‑simulated command training with field operations. North Korea routinely denounces these drills as rehearsals for invasion and often responds with its own weapons tests.
On Tuesday, Kim’s sister and senior official Kim Yo Jong issued a sharp warning, accusing Washington and Seoul of showing “inveterate repugnancy” toward North Korea and vowing Pyongyang would “convince the enemies of our war deterrence.”
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