State-run media in Pyongyang released footage on Monday, March 30, 2026, showcasing North Korean special operations soldiers performing various feats of physical strength. The broadcast, aired by Korean Central Television (KCTV), features troops engaged in intense martial arts and endurance exercises designed to project military vigor to international observers.
In the video, shirtless soldiers are seen withstanding strikes from sledgehammers and wooden poles without any visible protective equipment. Other segments show personnel breaking stacks of heavy roof tiles with their bare hands and lying face-down on beds of nails while massive stone slabs are smashed on their backs with hammers.
North Korean leader Kim Jong-un was shown observing the demonstrations at a special operations training base on Sunday, according to state reports. He was accompanied by high-ranking military officials, including Defense Minister No Kwang-chol, as well as his sister, Kim Yo Jong, and his teenage daughter, who has become a frequent fixture at major military events.
State media reported that Kim expressed great satisfaction with the display of absolute might and unmatched valor. He emphasized that the rigorous training in peacetime is essential to preventing casualties during active conflict, telling the gathered troops that sweating during training reduces the likelihood of bleeding in battle.
This latest release follows a series of high-profile military activities in the region, including the recent testing of strategic cruise missiles and the debut of a new-type main battle tank earlier this month. Analysts suggest the timing is intended to reinforce domestic unity following Kim’s recent re-election by the Supreme People’s Assembly on March 22.
In Washington, the Trump administration continues to monitor developments on the Korean Peninsula amidst its ongoing military involvement in the Middle East. President Donald Trump has maintained a policy of peace through strength, though the White House has yet to issue a direct statement on this specific demonstration of infantry conditioning.
Regional security experts indicate that these strongman performances are a recurring element of North Korean psychological warfare. They are used to signal readiness to external adversaries while showcasing the physical resilience of the elite infantry to a domestic audience during periods of heightened geopolitical tension.
The footage also featured live-fire drills and night-vision maneuvers, suggesting an effort to highlight technological modernization alongside traditional physical training. International observers remain focused on the potential for further escalations as Pyongyang continues to expand its conventional and nuclear military capabilities throughout early 2026.