North Korea conducted a simulated “tactical nuclear attack” drill on Saturday, which included firing two long-range cruise missiles. This information was reported by state media on Sunday, while leader Kim Jong Un was inspecting shipbuilding and munitions factories.
The KCNA news agency stated that the drill was carried out to send a warning to the country’s enemies and to demonstrate North Korea’s preparedness for nuclear war. Pyongyang has once again promised to strengthen its military deterrence against Washington and Seoul.
During the drill, two cruise missiles were launched towards the West Sea of the peninsula, both carrying mock nuclear warheads. They traveled a distance of 1,500 kilometers (930 miles) at an altitude of 150 meters.
A separate statement mentioned Kim’s visit to the Pukjung Machine Complex, a facility responsible for manufacturing marine engines, and a major munitions factory. The purpose of the visit was to emphasize the importance of enhancing Pyongyang’s naval forces.
The statement from KCNA confirmed that a future plenary meeting of the Worker’s Party of Korea (WPK) Central Committee would establish plans for modernizing the Pukjung Machine Complex and determining the shipbuilding industry’s development direction. However, it did not disclose the date of Kim’s visit.
This missile test follows the conclusion of the joint annual summertime exercises, named Ulchi Freedom Shield, conducted by South Korea and the United States. The exercises included air drills involving B-1B bombers and lasted for 11 days. North Korea has been increasingly focusing on military deterrence against Washington and Seoul, expressing dissatisfaction with the military cooperation agreement established between the two countries during last month’s summit.
A statement from KCNA on August 21 revealed that Kim had recently visited a navy fleet stationed on the east coast to oversee a test involving strategic cruise missiles aboard a warship. He emphasized the ship’s ability to maintain combat capabilities.
Reporting by Cynthia Kim; editing by Jonathan Oatis and Rosalba O’Brien
Credit: The Star : News Feed
