North Korean leader Kim Jong Un said he will unveil "next-stage" plans to strengthen the country's nuclear deterrent at an upcoming Workers' Party congress after overseeing a test of a large-caliber multiple rocket launcher. Pyongyang reported the rockets struck a target 358.5 km away; Japanese sources said two landed outside North Korea's Exclusive Economic Zone. Analysts say the congress may signal a move to maximise the operational use of North Korea's nuclear forces.
Kim Jong Un To Unveil 'Next-Stage' Nuclear Plans At Workers' Party Congress After Missile Test
This picture taken on January 27, 2026 and released by North Korea's official Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) on January 28, 2026 shows North Korean leader Kim Jong Un (C) and his daughter Kim Ju Ae (R) inspecting a test firing of the renewed large-caliber rocket launcher system (STR)(STR/KCNA VIA KNS/AFP)
North Korean leader Kim Jong Un said he will present "next-stage" plans to strengthen the country's nuclear deterrent at an upcoming Workers' Party congress, state media reported. The announcement followed a test of a large-caliber multiple rocket launcher that Pyongyang says fired four missiles and struck a target hundreds of kilometres away.
Details Of The Test
State-run Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) reported that Kim personally oversaw the test on Tuesday. According to Pyongyang, the rockets "hit a target" in waters 358.5 kilometres (222.7 miles) away after being launched toward the Sea of Japan. Japanese defence sources, cited by Jiji Press, said two of the missiles landed outside North Korea's Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ).
"The result and significance of this test will be a source of excruciating mental agony and serious threat to the forces that attempt to provoke a military confrontation with us," KCNA quoted Kim as saying.
Kim watched the launch accompanied by senior officials and his young daughter, whom analysts believe is named Ju Ae. KCNA said the test was intended to improve the "effectiveness of our strategic deterrent" after a development process that was "not plain sailing."
Context And Analysis
The Workers' Party congress—Pyongyang's first in five years—is expected in the coming weeks. Kim has ordered the expansion and modernisation of missile production facilities ahead of the meeting; officials say the congress will clarify plans to further bolster the country's nuclear war deterrent.
Analysts say the gathering may mark a shift from capability development toward operationalising and maximising the effectiveness of North Korea's nuclear forces. Lee Ho-ryung of the Korea Institute for Defense Analyses suggested Kim could declare that nuclear capability has reached a new operational peak. Hong Min of the Korea Institute for National Unification told AFP Pyongyang may be signalling to Washington that it can respond at a different level than smaller states.
The test was Pyongyang's second this month and came amid heightened regional diplomacy: it followed a brief volley of missiles fired hours before South Korea's leader travelled to China and a recent visit to Seoul by a senior Pentagon official. The United States continues to station about 28,500 troops in South Korea as a deterrent to the North.
Implications
Observers say the combination of public testing, imagery showing Kim and his family, and an explicit pledge to unveil "next-stage" plans is likely aimed at both domestic audiences and international rivals. The upcoming congress will be watched closely for announcements that could reshape regional security calculations and influence diplomatic responses from Seoul, Tokyo and Washington.
Help us improve.
