North Korea tested a new underwater nuclear attack drone this week in response to U.S.-South Korean military drills, North Korea’s state-run KCNA news agency said on Friday.
From Tuesday to Thursday, the North Korean army deployed off South Hamgyong Province and tested this new weapon system, whose mission is to “produce a large-scale radioactive tsunami” by an underwater explosion. navy and destroy enemy ships and ports, according to KCNA received in Seoul.
“This underwater nuclear attack drone can be deployed to any coast or port and towed by a surface vessel,” KCNA reported. At the time of the underwater explosion, the drone had sailed for 59 hours and 12 minutes at a depth of 80 to 150 meters.
Two intercontinental ballistic missile tests this year
The Northern Central Military Commission of the Workers’ Party had initiated the tests “in order to warn the enemy against a real nuclear crisis and to verify the reliability of the nuclear self-defense force”.
North Korea had fired several cruise missiles on Wednesday, according to the South Korean army, which is currently conducting large-scale joint exercises with the United States.
North Korea views all such drills as rehearsals for an invasion of its territory and has repeatedly warned that it will respond to them in a “massive” manner.
The new launches and tests come about a week after Pyongyang test-fired its most powerful missile, the Hwasong-17, its second intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) test in 2023.