Dec 24, 2025 – Kim Jong‑un supervises a new anti‑air missile test in the East Sea, with missiles striking mock targets at about 200 km altitude; KCNA reports the leader “congratulated the successful test‑fire,” underscoring political backing for the program[19][20].

Dec 28‑29, 2025 – Kim oversees back‑to‑back long‑range strategic cruise‑missile drills in the Yellow Sea, describing the launches as proof of “absolute reliability and combat readiness” and pledging “unlimited and sustained development of the state nuclear combat force”[15][16][17]; South Korean monitors detect the launches from the Sunan area and warn of possible further tests before year‑end[15].

Jan 4, 2026 – A hypersonic missile test from Pyongyang’s Ryokpho District hits targets roughly 1,000 km away in the East Sea; Kim Jong‑un attends, saying the drill “confirms a key national‑defense technology task” and urges continuous upgrades of offensive weapons to strengthen the nuclear deterrent[9][10].

Jan 4, 2026 – South Korea detects multiple ballistic missile launches just before South Korean President Lee Jae Myung departs for a China summit, a move analysts link to signaling ahead of the upcoming Workers’ Party congress, the first in five years since 2021[1][3].

Jan 5, 2026 – KCNA reports that the hypersonic test “confirms an important national‑defense technology task” and that Kim calls for “continuous upgrades to the military means, especially offensive weapons,” framing the launch as a deterrent boost ahead of the Ninth Party Congress[1][3].

Jan 26, 2026 – South Korean radar picks up short‑range ballistic missiles launched north of Pyongyang, a day before a large‑caliber MRLS test, highlighting a pattern of coordinated weapons demonstrations[6].

Jan 27, 2026 – Kim Jong‑un oversees the test‑fire of an upgraded large‑caliber multiple‑rocket launcher (MRLS); four rockets travel 358.5 km to a water target, and Kim declares the test of “great significance in improving the effectiveness of our strategic deterrent” and praises its “self‑steered precisely guided flight system”[6][7].

Jan 27‑29, 2026 – U.S. Under Secretary of Defense for Policy Elbridge Colby visits South Korea, meeting officials about security issues—including Seoul’s nuclear‑powered submarine plans—while North Korea conducts its MRLS test, underscoring heightened regional tension[5][6].

Jan 28, 2026 – A second MRLS test fires four rockets that hit a target 358.5 km away; Kim calls the exercise “great significance for the strategic deterrent,” notes the system’s “mobility, intelligence and hitting accuracy,” and links the test to the forthcoming Ninth Party Congress slated for early February[5][5].

Feb 18, 2026 – Workers’ Party of Korea delivers 50 newly‑produced 600 mm multiple‑rocket launchers to the Ninth Party Congress ceremony in Pyongyang; the system boasts a 400‑km range and was test‑fired in January with Kim in attendance[4].

Feb 19, 2026 – At the Ninth Party Congress, Kim Jong‑un lauds the 600 mm MRLS as “the world’s most advantageous weapon for concentrated super‑powerful attack,” claiming it can cause enemy command infrastructure to “break down all at once” and presenting it as a centerpiece of the party’s roadmap for self‑reliant defense[4].

Early Feb 2026 (Ninth Party Congress) – The congress, the first since 2021, is set to unveil a five‑year plan to “strengthen the self‑reliant defense capabilities” and outline next‑stage goals for bolstering the nuclear deterrent, linking recent missile and MRLS tests to broader strategic objectives[4][5].