North Korea supreme leader supervised missile tests: KCNA

North Korea leader Kim Jong Un supervised the test launches of four missiles by an army unit tasked to strike US military bases in Japan, said the Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) on Tuesday.

North Korea fired four ballistic missiles into the sea off Japan's northwest on Monday, days after it promised retaliation over the joint military drills between South Korea and the US, which it sees as preparation for war.

Involved in the drill were Hwasong artillery units of the KPA Strategic Forces "tasked to strike the bases of the US imperialist aggressor forces in Japan in contingency," Xinhua news agency quoted the report as saying.

Kim learned in detail about the preparations for fire strike "while going round the ballistic rocket launching ground," the report added.

"He appreciated that Hwasong artillery units of the Strategic Force are very good at organising and commanding fire strikes and strictly ensuring rapid and simultaneous fire strikes," the report said.

Kim described the rockets launch accuracy like "acrobatic flying corps in formation," said the report.

According to the report, he also ordered the Korean People's Army (KPA) Strategic Force to "keep highly alert as required by the grim situation in which an actual war may break out anytime, and get fully ready to promptly move, take position and strike so that it can open fire to annihilate the enemies once the Party Central Committee issues an order."

--IANS

lok/