There North Korea conducted a new “tactical nuclear attack simulation” on Saturday. It used mock nuclear warheads mounted on two long-range cruise missiles fired into the Yellow Sea, the official KCNA news agency reported on Sunday.
“A tactical nuclear attack simulation firing maneuver was carried out at dawn to warn enemies of the danger of nuclear war,” according to KCNA. “Two long-range strategic cruise missiles surmounted by dummy nuclear warheads were launched” into the sea, to the south, from the west coast of North Korea, added the agency. She specifies that this operation is a response to the joint military exercises between Seoul and Washington. South Korea and the United States held for eleven days, until August 31, the maneuvers dubbed Ulchi Freedom Shield.
The regime details its war plans with the South
The South Korean Joint Chiefs of Staff announced on Saturday that an unknown number of cruise missiles were fired at around 4 a.m. local time (9 p.m. in Paris on Friday) towards the Yellow Sea. On Thursday, the North Korean regime ured that it had proceeded two-shot ballistic missile short range as part of another “tactical nuclear strike simulation”.
The American-South Korean exercises systematically arouse the ire of Pyongyang, the North Korean capital, which perceives them as rehearsals for an invasion of its territory. Seoul and Washington say the maneuvers are defensive in nature and aimed at enhancing cooperation among allies.
On Tuesday, North Korean leader Kim Jong Un visited a navy command center where he detailed his plans in the event of war, including mentioning “simultaneous high-intensity strikes” against South Korean military positions. In addition to its missile tests, North Korea is trying to put a spy satellite into orbit, but its second attempt in three months failed August 24.