On Friday, North Korea announced the testing of an underwater nuclear weapon system in response to the recent joint maritime exercise involving South Korea, the US, and Japan. Pyongyang revealed the test of the "Haeil-5-23" in the East Sea, condemning the drills as provocative military actions, as reported by the official Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) and Yonhap News Agency.
The North Korean Defence Ministry characterized the joint maritime exercise as "reckless" military confrontation hysteria. A spokesperson for the Ministry stated in a release carried by the KCNA, "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 joint naval drills, involving the US nuclear-powered aircraft carrier USS Carl Vinson, took place from Monday to Wednesday and were a collaborative effort between South Korea, the US, and Japan. This came in the aftermath of North Korea's recent launch of a hypersonic missile, escalating tensions in the region.
(With Agency Inputs)
