North Korea conducts 'nuclear strike' drill in response to South-US joint drills

North Korea has staged a simulated “scorched-earth” nuclear strike drill on potential targets across South Korea in response to joint military exercises by the US and South Korea off the Korean peninsula. 

In a statement on Thursday, the General Staff of the North Korean People's Army (KPA) said that the dill, involving the entire army, aimed at stimulating the occupation of South Korean territory.

“The KPA staged a tactical 'nuclear strike' drill simulating scorched-earth strikes at major command centers and operational airfields of the 'ROK' military gangsters on Wednesday night,” the country's official KCNA news agency quoted the KPA as saying, while referring to South Korea's official name as ROK.

“Two tactical ballistic missiles launched at the Pyongyang International Airport into the northeastern direction were exploded at the fixed height of 400 meters in the air above the target island, correctly carrying out the nuclear striking task,” the KPA added in its statement.

The statement elaborated unusually on how Pyongyang envisions a potential war, including countering any attack by striking the South with nuclear weapons, then sweeping into the southern territory.

According to the report, the drill simulated repelling a sudden invasion, and then launching a counterattack to take control of “the whole territory of the southern half.”

North Korea warns of 'nuclear war' as US, Japan, South Korea stage drills

The US and its allies have staged joint maritime missile drills off the Korean peninsula, drawing condemnation from North Korea.

Using frontline and strategic reserve artillery forces, the simulated “scorched-earth” drill plans for establishing a front behind the enemy lines, disrupting the entrance of “outside armed forces” into the conflict, and “making simultaneous super-intense strikes at the pivotal military command centers, military ports, operational airfields, and other important enemy military targets,” KCNA further said.

The KCNA also added that North Korean leader Kim Jong-un on Tuesday had overseen the drills during his visit to the training command post of the KPA, adding that the visit aimed at preparing the army for an all-out war with the South.

The US and South Korea on Thursday are set to complete their Ulchi Freedom Shield exercise, which began on August 21.

A day earlier, the two allies conducted joint air drills, involving at least one US B-1B strategic bomber, over the Yellow Sea.

Pyongyang said the simulated nuclear strike drill had been conducted in response to Washington’s “provocative and dangerous” large-scale joint exercises simulating an all-out war against North Korea.

“The recent drill is to send a warning signal to the enemy who challenges us with such military threat as the deployment of strategic nuclear asset despite our repeated warning and make them clearly realize once again our definite will for punishment and practical retaliatory capacity,” the KPA added.

North Korea: US' reckless moves raise 'danger of nuclear war’ on Korean Peninsula

North Korea says the US is increasing the chances of a “nuclear war” on the Korean Peninsula.

In response, South Korea’s unification ministry, which handles inter-Korean affairs, said in a statement that they “strongly condemn Kim Jong-Un explicitly revealing his intention for a military attack on us using the annual defensive South Korea-US combined drills as a pretext.”

The nuclear-armed North, which is under harsh sanctions by the United Nations and the United States for its nuclear and ballistic missile programs, views all military drills conducted by Washington and its regional allies as rehearsals for the invasion of its territory.

North Korea has been very open about its rocket development program, saying Pyongyang’s objective is to defend the nation against US aggression exemplified in its continuous military drills and deployment of nuclear weapons to the Korean Peninsula.

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