North Korea's Kim oversees simulated nuclear counterattack against US, South Korea

2023-03-22

North Korean leader Kim Jong Un watches fire assault drill, at an undisclosed location in North Korea March 10, 2023 in this photo released by North Korea's Korean Central News Agency (KCNA). KCNA via REUTERS

North Korean leader Kim Jong Un has overseen drills simulating a nuclear counterattack against the U.S. and South Korea in a warning to the allies who are scaling up their joint military exercises, state media KCNA said on Monday.

The North's drills involved a short-range missile launch but - unusually - the missile flew from a buried silo, which analysts say would help improve speed and stability in future tests of intercontinental ballistic missiles (ICBM).

KCNA said the exercises on Saturday and Sunday were designed to boost the country's "war deterrence and nuclear counterattack capability," accusing Washington and Seoul of making an "explicit attempt to unleash a war" against it.

"The drill also aimed to demonstrate our tougher will to make an actual war response and send a stronger warning to the enemy who expand their war drills for aggression," KCNA said.

In the exercises, a ballistic missile equipped with a mock nuclear warhead flew 800 km (497 miles) before hitting a target under the scenario of a tactical nuclear attack, KCNA said.

KCNA photos showed Kim attended the test, again with his young daughter, as flames roared from the soaring missile before it hit the target.

Source:https://www.reuters.com/world/asia-pacific/north-koreas-kim-calls-nuclear-preparedness-against-us-south-korea-kcna-2023-03-19/