South Korean and U.S. soldiers take a position during an annual joint military landing exercise in Pohang, on South Korea’s southeast coast, on March 12, 2016.
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A pre-emptive large-scale strike by North Korea against the South is highly unlikely when that would nearly certainly bring to an end the authoritarian rule of leader Kim Jong Un given the likely military response of the USA and South Korea.
About 200 military pieces of equipment, including 40 amphibious assault vehicles and Osprey Marine transport helicopters, participated in the drill.
According to KCNA, Thursday’s launch of two short-range ballistic missiles, which traversed the eastern part of the country before falling into the East Sea (Sea of Japan), was part of a nuclear strike exercise.
Pyongyang added it planned to respond to the drills with an “operation to liberate the whole of South Korea including Seoul” with an “ultra-precision blitzkrieg ” .
U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki Moon implored North Korean leaders to listen to reason on Friday, following a report that North Korean leader Kim Jong Un had ordered more nuclear tests following a new resolution from the Security Council created to punish Pyongyang.
In 2010, the South Korean corvette Cheonan was found by an official investigation to have been torpedoed by a North Korean submarine near their sea border.
The South Korean military spokesman said the two allies were “closely monitoring” signs of North Korean provocation.
The agency also published photographs that appeared to show Kim visiting a facility where the warheads have been made to fit on ballistic missiles – the first time state media has released images showing its miniaturized weapons technology.
The DPRK is an acronym for North Korea’s official name.
Overseeing a ballistic missile launch on Thursday, Kim ordered “more nuclear explosion tests to estimate the destructive power of the newly produced nuclear warheads ” , the North’s official KCNA news agency said.
The unknown class of vessel had been reportedly operating off the North Korean coast earlier in the week when it disappeared.
The projects involved are the Mount Kumgang tourism resort, and the Kaesong joint industrial complex.
U.S. spy satellites, aircraft and ships have been watching as the North Korean navy searched for the missing sub, the report added. The North should “fully and comprehensively” implement the United Nations resolution, Wang said.
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State media reported Wednesday that Kim met with nuclear scientists and technicians, who briefed him on “research conducted to tip various type tactical and strategic ballistic missiles with nuclear warheads”.
