North Korea Conducts Nuclear Retaliation Drill... Kim Jong-un Says "Nuclear Weapons Are Means of Enemy Attack" (Comprehensive)

Kim Jong-un Observes Nuclear Retaliation Simulation with Daughter 'Juae'
"Exponential Increase in Nuclear Forces"...Focus on 7th Nuclear Test

North Korea has intensified its nuclear threats against South Korea. On the 19th, North Korea claimed that the short-range ballistic missile it launched into the East Sea was a tactical ballistic missile (KN-23, North Korean version of Iskander) launch drill simulating a nuclear strike, warning of a nuclear attack on key military facilities in the South.

The Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) reported on the 20th that "a comprehensive tactical exercise was conducted on March 18 and 19 to substantially strengthen the country's war deterrence and nuclear counterattack capabilities and to train the relevant units in the procedures and processes of performing tactical nuclear attack missions."

North Korea named this exercise the "Comprehensive Tactical Exercise Simulating Nuclear Counterattack by Tactical Nuclear Operation Units." Chairman Kim, accompanied by his second daughter 'Juae,' observed the exercise and stated, "The mere fact that our country possesses nuclear weapons does not practically deter war," emphasizing, "Only when we complete a nuclear attack posture that can be swiftly and accurately activated as a means to actually strike the enemy, making the enemy fearful at any time, can we fulfill the critical strategic mission of war deterrence."

North Korea "Comprehensive Tactical Drill Simulating Nuclear Retaliation on the 18th-19th"... Kim Jong-un Observes with Daughter 'Juae' [Image Source=Yonhap News]

Chairman Kim: "The enemies' anti-Republic invasion acts are increasingly aggravated"... Presents strategic tasks for war preparation

He continued, "The current situation, where the enemies' anti-Republic invasion provocations are increasingly aggravated, urgently demands that we exponentially increase our nuclear war deterrence," presenting the important directions for nuclear force construction and strategic tasks for war preparation of nuclear forces. Although the specific details of the 'tasks' presented by Chairman Kim were not disclosed, they may include plans related to the 7th nuclear test and normal-angle launches of intercontinental ballistic missiles (ICBMs).

According to the report, this exercise consisted of ▲ command and control system management drills for nuclear strikes, ▲ practical drills transitioning to nuclear counterattack posture, ▲ and tactical ballistic missile launch drills equipped with simulated nuclear warheads.

The report explained, "(On the first day of the exercise, the 18th) the reliability of the command and control operation system for tactical nuclear forces was comprehensively reexamined," "and under various simulated emergency situations, the accuracy of nuclear attack order issuance and reception procedures, nuclear weapon handling discipline, and activation procedures according to different nuclear attack plans were strictly inspected from a safety perspective, while multiple repeated drills were conducted to master the action order and combat methods for swiftly transitioning to nuclear attack."

North Korea "Comprehensive Tactical Exercise Simulating Nuclear Retaliation on the 18th-19th"... Kim Jong-un Observes with Daughter 'Juae' [Image Source=Yonhap News]

On the morning of the 19th, a ballistic missile launch drill simulating a tactical nuclear attack was conducted. The report claimed, "A launch drill simulating a nuclear strike on key enemy targets was conducted," adding, "The missile was equipped with a test warhead simulating a nuclear warhead." It further explained, "The tactical ballistic missile launched from Cholsan County, North Pyongan Province, accurately detonated in the air at 800 meters above the target area set 800 km away over the East Sea of Korea." The missile launched at that time was identified as the KN-23.

Additionally, North Korea released images through media showing Chairman Kim and his daughter Juae observing the exercise, as well as scenes of missile launches. Among these, the face of a person presumed to be a general standing next to Chairman Kim was unusually pixelated. The pixelated individual is believed to be the combined unit commander in charge of the tactical nuclear operation units.

Earlier, the Joint Chiefs of Staff announced that at around 11:05 a.m. the previous day, North Korea launched one short-range ballistic missile from the Dongchang-ri area in North Pyongan Province into the East Sea. The missile flew approximately 800 km before landing in the East Sea. The timing of North Korea's ballistic missile launch coincided with the ongoing South Korea-U.S. joint exercise "Freedom Shield (FS)," just before a U.S. B-1B strategic bomber entered the Korean Peninsula operational area.