North breaks out 'super-large' rockets for 'nuclear counterattack' drill

North Korea conducted a tactical drill simulating a nuclear counterattack using super-large multiple rocket launchers, state-run Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) said Tuesday, a day after Pyongyang fired short-range missiles into the East Sea.

North Korea conducts a tactical drill simulating a nuclear counterattack, attended by leader Kim Jong-un, on Monday. [YONHAP]

North Korea conducted a tactical drill simulating a nuclear counterattack using super-large multiple rocket launchers, state-run Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) said Tuesday, a day after Pyongyang fired short-range missiles into the East Sea.

North Korean leader Kim Jong-un, accompanied by Kim Jong-sik, vice department director of the Central Committee of the Worker’s Party of Korea (WPK), and Jang Chang-ha, general director of the North’s Missile Administration, oversaw the drill, according to the KCNA.

<on monday,="" the="" south="" korean="" military="" said="" north="" korea="" launched="" xxx="" 어제="" 합참이="" 발표한="" 내용="" 간단히="" 언급해주세요.=""></on> “The drill of which the main purpose is to demonstrate the reliability, superiority, might and diverse means of the DPRK's nuclear force and to strengthen the nuclear force both in quality and quantity is a clear warning signal to the enemies,” reported the KCNA, referring to North Korea by its official name, the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea.

North Korea had also conducted a comprehensive tactical nuclear counterattack training in March last year, before the state’s nuclear weapon combined management system “Haekbangashoe,” which translates to “nuclear trigger,” was completed.

The KCNA claimed that the combined Korea Flying Training (KFT) being conducted by South Korea and the United States and the joint airborne infiltration drill held last Thursday “have incited extreme war fever” and that North Korea is “seriously threatened by the hostile forces' ceaseless military provocations.”

Pyongyang’s drills consisted of practical training to familiarize military units with the procedures for nuclear counterattack when the “Hwasan” alert system, North Korea’s highest nuclear crisis alert, is in effect, in addition to firing super-large multiple rocket launcher shells equipped with simulated nuclear warheads, according to the KCNA.

“The super-large multiple rocket launchers accurately hit the island target within 352 km range, fully demonstrating their matchless might and perfect actual war posture,” the KCNA said.

North Korean leader Kim Jong-un overseas a tactical drill simulating a nuclear counterattack near Pyongyang on Monday. [NEWS1]

This puts in range Gyerongdae, where the headquarters of the South Korean Army, Navy and Air Force are located, and Kunsan Air Base, where the South Korea-U.S. KFT training is taking place.

In photos released by North Korea on Tuesday, four super-large multiple rocket launchers were identifiable. Each super-large multiple rocket launcher is capable of firing a short-range ballistic missile (SRBM) that has a range of 400 kilometers, codenamed KN-25 by South Korean and U.S. intelligence authorities.

Kim expressed “great satisfaction over the result of the drill” and said that he stressed “the need to continuously complete tactics and operation” for the readiness of the nuclear force of North Korea.

South Korea’s Defense Ministry said that “if North Korea attempts to use nuclear weapons, it will face an immediate, overwhelming and decisive response from the South Korea-U.S. alliance, and the North Korean regime will face its end.”

“As North Korea continues its nuclear and missile provocations, the United States’ ability to implement extended deterrence will be enhanced, and South Korea’s independent preparedness capabilities, such as the three-axis system, will be further strengthened,” Defense Ministry spokesperson Jeon Ha-kyu said during a regular press briefing Tuesday.

The Joint Chiefs of Staff (JCS) spokesperson Lee Sung-jun also expressed doubts about North Korea’s nuclear capabilities, saying, "To my understanding, North Korea has not yet completed testing of small tactical nuclear weapons” during a briefing Tuesday.

“Our military has a system in place to detect and intercept super-large multiple rockets if they fly toward us,” said Lee.

BY LIM JEONG-WON [lim.jeongwon@joongang.co.kr]