North Korean leader Kim Jong Un oversaw test-firing of a long-range surface-to-air missile at a test site near the East Sea on Wednesday, state media KCNA reported on Thursday.
Kim also oversaw construction of an 8,700-ton nuclear-powered submarine at a different site, KCNA said, without identifying the location and the date of his visit to the yard.
"The working class, scientists and engineers in the shipbuilding sector, who have been fully engaged in the glorious struggle for the implementation of our party's naval modernisation policy, are vigorously promoting the construction of nuclear strategic attack submarines, which is one of the five major tasks for the development of national defense power set forth by the Eighth Party Congress, by leaving no trace of their strong strength and patriotic enthusiasm," said KCNA.
"Comrade Kim Jong Un once again stressed the importance and significance of the nuclear strategic attack submarine construction project in the realisation of the self-defense policy of our party and the government of the Republic of Korea.
"Comrade Kim Jong Un said that the attack destroyers and nuclear submarines that have been being built recently will make a leap forward in the combat power of our fleet forces and contribute to the protection of the country's strategic sovereignty and security, and that we will continue to strengthen the navy and its strategic components in various ways and from multiple angles, gradually increase the speed of construction of various surface and underwater ships, expand the scale, and constantly combine various offensive weapon systems with them."
(Reporting by Heejin Kim; Editing by Chris Reese)