North Korea conducted a test of its “underwater nuclear weapon system” in response to this week’s joint naval exercises by US South Korea and Japan, according to DPRK state media Friday.
An unnamed spokesman at the North Korean Ministry of National Defence, in a statement on state news agency KCNA, accused Washington, Seoul and Tokyo of “getting frantic in their provocative military exercises” and called the joint maritime exercises an “act of seriously threatening the security” of Pyongyang.
As a countermeasure, North Korea “conducted an important test of its underwater nuclear weapon system ‘Haeil-5-23’ under development in the East Sea of Korea,” according to the ministry in a statement.
It’s unclear how long the nuclear-capable underwater attack drones has been under development or when the test exactly took place.
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“Our army’s underwater nuke-based countering posture is being further rounded off and its various maritime and underwater responsive actions will continue to deter the hostile military maneuvers of the navies of the U.S. and its allies,” the North Korean ministry spokesman said in a statement, according to KCNA.
“We strongly denounce the U.S. and its followers for their reckless acts of seriously threatening the security of the DPRK from the outset of the year and sternly warn them of the catastrophic consequences to be entailed by them,” said the spokesperson.
