North Korea conducted more missile tests than its predecessors combined

When Kim Jong Un took power, he abandoned the cautious diplomatic playbook used by his father. While the previous leader frequently visited Beijing to secure support and resources, the younger Kim pivoted toward a path of aggressive self-reliance through military technology. In his first six years of leadership alone, he oversaw approximately 90 ballistic missile tests and four nuclear experiments. This total surpassed the combined number of tests conducted by both his father and grandfather during their entire decades-long reigns.