Image Source: Agencies

North Korean leader Kim Jong Un watched the test of strategic cruise missiles, state media said on Monday, as the US and South Korean militaries began large-scale annual exercises that North Korea sees as offensive training.

The North's report of missile tests came three days after the leaders of the United States, South Korea, and Japan held their first separate trilateral summit and agreed to increase cooperation on ballistic missile defense to counter North Korea's evolving nuclear and missile threats.

According to the official Korean Central News Agency, Kim boarded the patrol boat on an unspecified day during an inspection of the navy's fleet to inspect its weapons and combat preparations. It said Kim later watched the ship's sailors practice firing "strategic" cruise missiles, suggesting the weapons were developed to carry nuclear warheads.