Kim Jong Un oversees hypersonic missile tests in North Korea amid tensions

North Korean leader Kim Jong Un oversaw test flights of hypersonic missiles and called for a stronger nuclear war deterrent, state media said Monday, as Pyongyang steps up weapons displays ahead of a major political conference.

North Korea’s state-run Korean Central News Agency said Sunday the exercise, which included a hypersonic weapon system, was designed to test combat readiness, improve the operational skills of its missile troops and assess the country’s overall war deterrence.

“Through today’s launch exercise, we can confirm that a very important technology mission for national defense has been accomplished,” Kim said, according to KCNA. “We must constantly improve military vehicles, especially offensive weapon systems.”

The announcement came a day after South Korea and Japan said they had detected multiple North Korean missile launches, which they condemned as provocations. The tests were also conducted just hours before South Korean President Lee Jae Myung was due to travel to China to meet President Xi Jinping.

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If a hypersonic missile becomes fully operational, it would give North Korea the ability to evade U.S. and South Korean missile defense systems. While Pyongyang has conducted a series of hypersonic tests in recent years, many foreign experts are skeptical that the weapons have achieved the required speed and maneuverability.

In this photo provided by the North Korean government, leader Kim Jong Un walks on the road while inspecting test flights of hypersonic missiles on Sunday, Jan. 4, 2026, in Pyongyang, North Korea. (Korean Central News Agency/Korea News Service via AP)

The latest tests follow North Korea’s latest launches of what it describes as long-range strategic cruise missiles and new air defense systems, as well as state-released images showing progress on what it claims is its first nuclear-powered submarine.

Experts say the regime is flaunting its weapons advances ahead of the ruling Labor Party’s first congress in five years. The meeting is expected to review military achievements and could signal whether Kim plans to shift his approach toward the United States or restart long-stalled nuclear talks.

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North Korea’s nuclear program is also expected to be discussed at the summit between Lee and Xi. Lee’s office said the South Korean president plans to encourage China, Pyongyang’s main ally and economic lifeline, to play a “constructive role” in easing tensions on the Korean Peninsula.

South Korean President Lee Jae Myung (center left) and his wife Kim Hea Kyung depart for China from Seoul airport in Seongnam, South Korea, on Sunday, January 4, 2026. (AP Photo/Lee ​​Jin-man)

Defending the nuclear expansion effort, Kim noted increasing global instability.

“Why this is necessary is illustrated by the recent geopolitical crisis and complex international events,” he said.

The missile launches followed Saturday’s dramatic US military operation that removed Venezuelan dictator Nicolás Maduro from power and brought him to the US to face charges of narco-terrorism conspiracy. North Korea condemned the operation, calling it evidence of the “rogue and brutal nature of the United States.”

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Analysts say the move will likely strengthen Kim’s push to expand North Korea’s nuclear arsenal, which he sees as vital to regime survival and national sovereignty in the face of what Pyongyang sees as U.S.-led hostility.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.