Yonhap quoted the announcement of the Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) on January 19 saying that Pyongyang conducted a test of an underwater nuclear weapons system called "Haeil-5-23" (Tsunami) in the East Sea.
Images released by North Korea in April 2023 of the Haeil-5-23 weapon test. (Source: KCNA) |
According to KCNA , the test was carried out in response to the latest joint naval drills between South Korea, the US and Japan, which North Korea considered a "reckless" act of military confrontation.
"Our army's underwater nuclear counterattack posture is being further perfected," a North Korean Defense Ministry spokesman said.
North Korea said its military's various underwater and sea response actions will continue to deter hostile military maneuvers by the US and its allies' navies.
Earlier, South Korea, the United States and Japan conducted joint naval exercises in the waters south of the Korean Peninsula with the participation of the US nuclear-powered aircraft carrier USS Carl Vinson.
The move came shortly after North Korean Foreign Minister Choe Son-hui visited Russia and met with his counterpart Sergei Lavrov and President Vladimir Putin of the host country.
During the visit, Russia and North Korea agreed to develop relations in all areas, including “sensitive” ones.
Faced with this situation, also on January 18, special envoys on North Korea from the US, South Korea, and Japan met and sought ways to strengthen coordination with the international community to prevent military cooperation between Russia and North Korea.
The two envoys from the US and South Korea met separately and called on North Korea to immediately stop its rhetoric that intentionally escalates tensions, stop developing nuclear weapons and missiles, and quickly return to the path of denuclearization through dialogue.
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