North Korea said it successfully test-fired two new air-defence missiles on Saturday, with leader Kim Jong Un personally supervising the launch, according to state media outlet KCNA. The firing was intended to evaluate the weapons’ combat readiness and took place at an undisclosed location. KCNA described the systems as "improved" versions that showed “superior combat capability” and a fast response against low-flying drones and cruise missiles. The agency provided no technical specifications but said the weapons’ operating mode relies on “unique and special” technology. The demonstration coincided with Ulchi Freedom Shield, an 11-day joint U.S.–South Korean military exercise that Pyongyang routinely denounces as a rehearsal for invasion. It also came on the eve of President Donald Trump’s summit with South Korean President Lee Jae Myung in Washington, following Lee’s meeting with Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba in Tokyo. Tensions on the peninsula had already risen earlier in the week when about 30 North Korean soldiers briefly crossed the Demilitarised Zone, prompting warning shots from South Korean forces. Pyongyang condemned the incident as a “premeditated provocation,” while Seoul called for restraint.