On Friday, North Korea declared the testing of an alleged underwater nuclear attack drone in
response to the joint naval exercises conducted by South Korea, the United States, and Japan earlier in the week.
The announcement is part of North Korea’s ongoing narrative, holding its rivals responsible for escalating tensions in the region.
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The purported drone trial occurred shortly after North Korean leader Kim Jong-un declared the abandonment of the country’s long standing pursuit of peaceful unification with South Korea.
Additionally, he stated an intention to amend the constitution, designating South Korea as the most adversarial foreign entity.
Tensions in the Korean Peninsula have reached a peak, marked by Kim’s accelerated weapons demonstrations and nuclear conflict threats.
In response, the United States and its Asian allies are reinforcing joint military exercises.
Underwater Drone Focus in North Korean Test
response to the joint naval exercises conducted by South Korea, the United States, and Japan earlier in the week.
The conducted test did not involve a nuclear device; rather, it focused on an “underwater self-explosive drone,” as explained by Shin Jong-woo, a military expert associated with the Korea Defense and Security Forum in Seoul.
Describing it as a “navigation test” for a battery-powered underwater suicide drone, Shin emphasized that North Korea was assessing the drone’s performance concerning extended distances and durations.
It is noteworthy that North Korea had previously conducted tests on the Haeil-2 Unmanned Underwater Nuclear Attack Boat from April 4 to 7 in the preceding year.
Kim’s expansion of the arsenal of nuclear-capable weapons has included a purported nuclear attack drone, and its capabilities have been showcased among various weapon systems in recent years.
However, South Korea’s military has contested North Korea’s claims, asserting that the drone’s capabilities have been exaggerated. The drone is purportedly designed for executing strikes on enemy vessels and ports.
Kim subsequently declared a shift in North Korea’s approach, expressing the cessation of efforts towards reconciliation and reunification with South Korea.
This sentiment was reiterated earlier in the week during an address to the country’s Supreme People’s Assembly, where Kim asserted that a significant monument constructed by his father in Pyongyang to symbolize the potential reunification of the Korean Peninsula must be dismantled.