North Korean dictator Kim Jong-Un has led two days of military exercises “simulating a nuclear counterattack,” including the launch of a ballistic missile with a simulated nuclear warhead, the state news agency KCNA reported on Monday.
Kim expressed his “satisfaction” with the drills over the weekend, which were held to “allow relevant units to become familiar with the procedures and processes for implementing their tactical nuclear strike missions,” according to the report.
The exercises were Pyongyang’s fourth show of force in a week and came as South Korea and the United States conducted their own military exercises: 11 days of joint exercises known as Freedom Shield, the largest in five years.
North Korea sees all such exercises as rehearsals for an invasion and has repeatedly warned that it would take “overwhelming” measures in response.
The drills on Saturday and Sunday were divided into exercises simulating switching to a nuclear counterattack posture and a drill to “launch a tactical ballistic missile with a simulated nuclear warhead,” KCNA said.
“The missile had a test warhead on its tip that simulated a nuclear warhead,” he added later, without elaborating.
The Seoul Joint Chiefs of Staff said on Sunday that the short-range ballistic missile fired by Pyongyang landed in the East Sea, also known as the Sea of Japan.
They called it a “serious provocation” that violated United Nations sanctions and said it was being scrutinized by US and South Korean intelligence.
Seoul and Washington have stepped up defense cooperation in the face of growing military and nuclear threats from the North, which has conducted a series of tests of banned weapons in recent months.
Last year, Pyongyang tested more than 70 missiles, including nuclear-capable missiles aimed at South Korea, Japan and the mainland United States. North Korea said many of those tests were a warning from previous US-South Korean military drills.
On the other hand, this Saturday the European Union (EU) called for the “full implementation” of sanctions against North Korea for its nuclear program after the missile launches from Pyongyang this week.
“It is essential that all UN member states, especially members of the Security Council, ensure the full implementation of UN sanctions,” said EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs Josep Borrell.
The head of European diplomacy called on the international community to respond in a “united and firm” manner to the latest missile launches, to defend the international nuclear non-proliferation architecture and “prevent North Korea from further increasing military tensions in the region”.
North Korea fired two medium-range ballistic missiles on Tuesday and another potentially longer-range intercontinental missile in its arsenal on Thursday.
(With information from AFP)