The range of SRBM includes Gyeryongdae and Gunsan military bases
Kim Jong Un mentioned they expanded the operational space of the tactical nuclear
The experts evaluate its action as a measure to demonstrate the presence ahead of U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken’s visit to China
For the first time, North Korea conducted a training exercise utilizing super-large artillery within its comprehensive national nuclear weapons management system. Kim Jong Un praised the training, comparing its precision to a sniper’s shot.
The Korean Central News Agency reported on the 23rd that North Korea had carried out a nuclear counterattack simulation training exercise under Kim’s guidance, utilizing super-large artillery. The South Korean and U.S. military authorities classify the super-large artillery as a short-range ballistic missile (SRBM), specifically the KN-25 with a range of 248.5 miles, essentially a weapon targeting South Korea. North Korea had previously conducted a nuclear counterattack simulation training exercise in March of last year, presumably before the establishment of the nuclear trigger system.
The report cited the ongoing joint Korea Flying Training (KFT) between South Korea and the U.S. and the joint air penetration training on the 18th as the reasons for conducting this training. The report criticized these trainings as “relentless military provocations by hostile forces intending to crush our republic by force.”
The training conducted that day followed a sequence of live-action training to master the nuclear counterattack posture implementation procedures when the highest national nuclear crisis alert, the Hwasan (Volcano) Alert, is issued, nuclear counterattack command system operation practice, and firing of super-large artillery shells loaded with nuclear mock warheads.
The launch photos released by North Korea that day showed four super-large artillery shells being fired from four transporter erector launchers (TEL). North Korea claimed that the launched super-large artillery hit an island target 352 km away. If launched from Pyongyang, it could reach areas within 350 km, such as the Gyeryongdae, where the headquarters of the Army, Navy, and Air Force are located, and the Gunsan base, where the South Korea-U.S. KFT training is taking place.
Kim praised, “Our tactical nuclear attack weapons, boasting formidable power, are being strictly prepared to be mobilized faithfully to execute their strategic tasks in a swift and thorough counterattack posture.” He also stated, “The successful conduction of training realized the plan to construct the Party Central’s plan for nuclear force, which was to expand and diversify the operational space of tactical nuclear attacks.”
He also repeatedly suggested that “the power and effectiveness of our nuclear combat force, which now includes super-large artillery, have been incomparably enhanced.” It appears that North Korea has also verified the integrated operability of super-large artillery and nuclear warheads through this training.
South Korean military also detected North Korea’s training on the 22nd. The South Korean Joint Chiefs of Staff said, “We detected several flying objects believed to be short-range ballistic missiles launched from the vicinity of Pyongyang towards the East Sea at around 3:01 PM. The North Korean missile landed in the East Sea after flying about 186.4 miles (300 km).”
Yang Moo Jin, a professor at the University of North Korean Studies, interpreted, “It appears to have demonstrated its presence in the discussion process between the U.S. and China ahead of U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken’s visit to China on the 24th. It also seems to have the intention of internal cohesion and regime consolidation by claiming that war preparations have been completed.” Hong Min, Senior Research Fellow of the Unification Research Institute, interpreted it as “a measure to show that it has secured minimum deterrence against the U.S. by making an immediate nuclear counterattack possible.”
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