3 weeks ago
North Korean leader Kim Jong Un guided a mixed tactical drill simulating a atomic counterattack involving super-large aggregate rocket launchers, authorities media reported Tuesday. Photo by KCNA/EPA-EFE
SEOUL, April 23 (UPI) -- North Korean leader Kim Jong Un guided a firing drill of super-large aggregate rocket launchers simulating a atomic counterattack, authorities media said Tuesday, 1 time aft nan South Korean subject detected nan motorboat of respective short-range ballistic missiles.
The drill was nan first trial of nan North's "Nuclear Trigger" mixed guidance system, state-run Korean Central News Agency reported.
Artillery units fired super-large aggregate rocket launchers tipped pinch simulated atomic warheads and deed a target successful nan oversea 219 miles away, KCNA said. Images released by authorities media showed astatine slightest 4 rockets being fired from mobile transporter-erector launchers.
Kim praised nan firing trial results, saying nan rocket launchers were arsenic meticulous arsenic a "sniper's rifle."
"The drill served arsenic an important juncture successful thoroughly preparing our atomic unit to beryllium capable to quickly and correctly transportation retired their important ngo of deterring a warfare and taking nan inaugural successful a warfare astatine immoderate clip and successful immoderate abrupt situation," Kim said, according to nan KCNA report.
On Monday, South Korea's subject said it detected respective short-range ballistic missiles launched from nan Pyongyang area, which traveled astir 186 miles earlier splashing down successful nan oversea betwixt Korea and Japan.
The United States and South Korea mention to nan North's super-large multiple-launch rocket strategy arsenic nan KN-25 and analysts characterize it arsenic a short-range ballistic missile. North Korea has claimed since October 2022 that nan limb tin beryllium fitted pinch a tactical atomic warhead.
The motorboat was nan latest successful a flurry of weapons tests and heated rhetoric from Pyongyang that has kept tensions astatine their highest successful years connected nan Korean Peninsula.
North Korea said it test-fired a "super-large warhead" for a strategical cruise rocket and a caller anti-aircraft rocket connected Friday. Earlier this month, Pyongyang launched an intermediate-range solid-fuel ballistic rocket pinch a new hypersonic warhead.
Seoul connected Tuesday called nan North's declare of its atomic counterattack capacity "exaggerated."
"There are a batch of things that don't look true," Joint Chiefs of Staff spokesperson Lee Sung-jun said astatine a regular property briefing.
"It is known that North Korea has not yet completed a trial of a mini tactical atomic weapon," he said.
