Seoul: North Korean leader Kim Jong-un has supervised a joint strike drill involving long-range artillery and a tactical ballistic missile, while underscoring the preparedness of the country's nuclear forces, state media reported. This comes a day after North Korea launched multiple ballistic missiles.
According to Yonhap News Agency, the drill's objective was to familiarize military units with weapon operations and verify the command and mobilization system's reliability to swiftly respond during a nuclear crisis, as per the Korean Central News Agency (KCNA). The exercise featured a 600-millimeter multilayer rocket system and the Hwasongpho-11-Ka tactical ballistic missile.
Kim emphasized the necessity of enhancing the nuclear force's role in deterring and engaging in warfare. He stated, "It is very important to steadily perfect the normal combat readiness of the nuclear force." Between 8:10 a.m. and 9:20 a.m. on Thursday, South Korea's military detected multiple short-range ballistic missile launches from Wonsan, speculating a potential connection to North Korea's arms transactions with Russia.
The KCNA reported that Kim called for increased combat reliability and operational scope of tactical nuclear weapons systems. Additionally, he highlighted the need to advance the nuclear force's pivotal role in strategic deterrence and combat readiness.
The artillery force's growth is anticipated to alter future military actions and enhance the army's operational capabilities. Before the missile launch, the drill assessed the operational reliability of the Haekbangashoe system, a nuclear weapons management system developed in 2023.
The KCNA accused the U.S. and its allies of staging nuclear drills around the Korean Peninsula, viewing them as a potential nuclear war threat against North Korea. It described the drills as reckless, necessitating a rapid reaction capability and thorough war posture.
A defense ministry spokesman described the drill as a demonstration of the armed forces' rapid counteraction posture in response to any military situation changes in the sensitive region. Kim's "field guidance" was attended by Jang Chang-ha, general director of the Missile Administration, Kim Yong-hwan, president of the Academy of Defence Sciences, and other high-ranking party officials.