Kim Jong Un oversees aerial drills, calls for ‘radical turn’ in war preparation



News Kim Jong Un oversees aerial drills, calls for ‘radical turn’ in war preparation North Korea tests anti-air and strike warfare capabilities, vows to ‘blind and destroy’ any incoming drone threats Joon Ha Park May 17, 2025 SHARE COPY LINK FACEBOOK X LINKEDIN MASTODON Kim Jong Un and military officials salute DPRK fighter jets on the observation post during air drills on May 15 \| Image: KCNA (May 17, 2025) North Korean leader Kim Jong Un supervised large-scale air force drills and ordered the military to maintain a constant state of readiness, calling for a “radical turn” in war preparations, state media reported Saturday. The Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) reported that Kim visited a flight regiment under the Guards First Air Division of the Korean People’s Army (KPA) on May 15, where he observed anti-air and strike training operations involving fighter jets, helicopters, unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) and missile defense units. North Korean leader Kim Jong Un supervised large-scale air force drills and ordered the military to maintain a constant state of readiness, calling for a “radical turn” in war preparations, state media reported Saturday. The Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) reported that Kim visited a flight regiment under the Guards First Air Division of the Korean People’s Army (KPA) on May 15, where he observed anti-air and strike training operations involving fighter jets, helicopters, unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) and missile defense units. Try unlimited access Only $1 for four weeks Unlimited access to all of NK News: reporting, investigations, analysis Year-one discount if you continue past $1 trial period The NK News Daily Update, an email newsletter to keep you in the loop Searchable archive of all content, photo galleries, special columns Contact NK News reporters with tips or requests for reporting Get unlimited access to all NK News content, including original reporting, investigations, and analyses by our team of DPRK experts. Subscribe now All major cards accepted. No commitments – you can cancel any time. © Korea Risk Group. All rights reserved. No part of this content may be reproduced, distributed, or used for commercial purposes without prior written permission from Korea Risk Group. Get the Daily Update Start your day with the North Korea stories that matter most – as selected by And how should we address you in correspondence? One more step! Please check your inbox, for an email we just sent you, and click on the confirmation message in it to get subscribed to our Daily News Update. Trending

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Kim Jong Un oversees aerial drills, calls for ‘radical turn’ in war preparation

North Korea tests anti-air and strike warfare capabilities, vows to ‘blind and destroy’ any incoming drone threats

Joon Ha Park May 17, 2025

Kim Jong Un oversees aerial drills, calls for ‘radical turn’ in war preparation

Kim Jong Un and military officials salute DPRK fighter jets on the observation post during air drills on May 15 | Image: KCNA (May 17, 2025)

North Korean leader Kim Jong Un supervised large-scale air force drills and ordered the military to maintain a constant state of readiness, calling for a “radical turn” in war preparations, state media reported Saturday.

The Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) reported that Kim visited a flight regiment under the Guards First Air Division of the Korean People’s Army (KPA) on May 15, where he observed anti-air and strike training operations involving fighter jets, helicopters, unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) and missile defense units.

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