N. KOREA FIRES PROJECTILES TO THE EAST SEA

[Anchor Lead]

North Korea fired two projectiles on Thursday into the East Sea. North Korean state media reported on Friday that Kim Jong-un personally supervised the successive firing of super-large multiple rocket launchers and was satisfied with the outcome.

[Pkg]

On Friday, North Korea's daily Rodong Sinmun reported about a successive firing test of multiple rocket launchers supervised personally by leader Kim Jong-un. The report came after the regime fired two short-range projectiles from Hamkyongnam-do Province into the East Sea on Thursday afternoon. The newspaper wrote that the test was conducted to verify the combat readiness of super-large multiple rocket launchers, and that its results proved the superiority and trustworthiness of the North's weapons system. The Rodong Sinmun added Kim was extremely satisfied with the outcome of the test, and published three photos showing the North Korean leader. Pyongyang fired two short-range projectiles at 4:59 p.m. Thursday. They flew up to 380km at an altitude of 97km. Immediately after the launch, Seoul's military said the North presumably fired super-large multiple rocket launchers. The test was apparently conducted to verify the successive firing capabilities of the weapons, which Kim Jong-un wanted to improve. North Korea has fired 13 projectiles this year. Multiple-rocket launchers were fired four times so far - in August, September, October and November.