North Korean leader Kim Jong Un was reported in state media Sunday to have overseen a series of drills by fighter jets from North Korea’s air force, praising the unit’s readiness and urging a “ratcheting up” of more exercises.

The drills were conducted by a “pursuit assault plane group under the Air and Anti-Aircraft Division in the western area,” the Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) report said, without disclosing the date, the involved units, or location.

But NK Newswas able to independently confirm that the drills took place at the Sunchon Air Base north of Pyongyang, where Kim also