North Korea now tests an underwater drone for a nuclear attack

North Korea says it has carried out a test its “underwater nuclear weapons system” in response to exercises carried out this week by the United States, South Korea and Japan.

The underwater drone, which supposedly can carry a nuclear weaponwas tested off the east coast, state media said.

“Our military’s underwater nuclear reaction capability it is perfecting and its various maritime and submarine response actions will continue to deter hostile military maneuvers by the United States Navies and its allies,” the North Korean Defense Ministry said in a statement.

“We strongly condemn the United States and its acolytes for their reckless acts that have seriously threatened the security of the DPRK since the beginning of the year, and we sternly warn them against the catastrophic consequences it will have“the note added, using the acronym for the country’s official name, the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea.

In recent months, the North It also tested several missiles designed to attack the United States and its allies in Asia.and announced an escalation nuclear doctrine that authorizes the military to carry out pre-emptive nuclear strikes if Pyongyang’s leadership is threatened.

“A provocation”

Aside from the statement, there is no other evidence that North Korea has conducted tests, and Seoul has previously said that North Korea’s descriptions of the drone’s capabilities They were exaggerated.

South Korea described the reported tests as a “provocation”.

“It threatens peace on the Korean Peninsula and the world,” South Korea’s Defense Ministry said, adding: “If North Korea directly provokes us, we will respond overwhelmingly following the principle of immediate, strong and terminal action”.

The alleged drone test came just days after North Korean leader Kim Jong Un said he would cancel the country’s long-standing goal of peaceful unification with South Korea and that the Constitution would be rewritten to define his southern neighbor as its most hostile foreign adversary. Tensions on the Korean peninsula They are at their highest point in years.

North Korea said it had carried out tests on its system “Haeil-5-23” previously, but the latest incident occurs when North Korea has stepped up its military actions in recent weeks.

On Sunday he said he took sides a new ballistic missile intermediate range and solid fuel.

This followed live-fire drills on the maritime border with South Korea in the first week of January.

Kim has also been increasingly aggressive in his policy direction and rhetoric, ending several agreements aimed at keeping the peace in recent months.

On Friday, North Korea said it was provoked by joint exercises by Washington, Seoul and Tokyo to test their underwater weapons, according to a report by state news agency KCNA.

He accused the exercises of “further destabilizing the regional situation” and threatening the North’s security.

With information from the Associated Press