photo source, KCNA
North Korea fired a total of seven missiles from September 25 to October 9.
On the 10th, celebrating the 77th anniversary of the founding of the Workers’ Party of Korea, North Korea showed off its military power by revealing that the ballistic missile launches over the past fortnight were military exercises for units that operate tactical nuclear weapons.
The North Korean state-run media, the Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) and Rodong Sinmun, reported that Chairman Kim Jong-un conducted all the training of the North Korean military’s tactical nuclear operation unit, long-range artillery unit, and air force squadron from September 25 to October 9, along with photos. reported
Chairman Kim said, “I do not have anything to talk regarding with the enemies and I do not feel the need to do so,” the media reported.
Although North Korea has previously announced plans to deploy tactical nuclear weapons, this is the first time that it has mobilized a tactical nuclear weapons operation unit to conduct military exercises.
In the photos released by the media, Kim Jong-un includes a mini-submarine-launched ballistic missile (SLBM), a North Korean version of the Iskander ballistic missile (KN-23), a Hwasong-12 medium-range ballistic missile (IRBM), and a super-large multiple rocket launcher (KN-25). It was included in the appearance of observing the presumed launch site.
North Korean first lady Ri Sol-ju was also spotted attending the KN-25 launch drill. He is standing side by side with Chairman Kim, grimacing his face and covering his ears. This is the first time Mrs. Lee has appeared at a military training ground.
The Rodong Sinmun reported, “The military exercise took place at a time when large-scale naval forces of the Allied Forces, including US Navy aircraft carriers, Aegis destroyers, and nuclear-powered submarines, were conducting dangerous military exercises in the waters of the Korean peninsula.” “The Military Commission has decided to conduct training to verify and improve the reliability and combat capability of our nation’s war deterrence, and to send a strong military response warning to the enemy,” he said.
“Through the seven rounds of launch drills of tactical nuclear operation units, we are fully prepared to strike and destroy the target at the target time, at the target location, and destroying the target as much as we want,” he said. The reality, combat effectiveness, and combat capability of combat force were fully demonstrated.”
photo source, News1
Analysts say that North Korea fired an SLBM from an inland reservoir in response to South Korea’s kill chain.
“Shot from the SLBM reservoir”… Diversification of launch platforms
Among the training details revealed by North Korea, the fact that the SLBM was launched from an inland reservoir stands out.
The Rodong Sinmun reported that in the early morning of the 25th of last month, a ballistic missile launch exercise assuming a tactical nuclear warhead was carried out at an underwater launch site in the northwestern part of the reservoir. The photo released on the same day also included a scene of an SLBM rising from a reservoir presumed to be in the Taecheon area of North Pyongan Province.
The media reported, “The launched tactical ballistic missile flew over a set target in the East Sea of Joseon along a scheduled trajectory, and the reliability of the accurate warhead detonation was verified at the set altitude.”
At the time, the South Korean military analyzed that North Korea fired a short-range ballistic missile (SRBM) from a vehicle-type mobile launcher (TEL).
It is very unusual to launch an SLBM from an inland reservoir, and if North Korea’s claim is true, it is interpreted to make it difficult to detect once morest South Korea’s kill chain, a missile interception system.
On the 8th, the media also said that the People’s Army Air Force conducted a large-scale general attack drill in which 150 fighters were simultaneously sortie for the first time in history.
The military authorities did not disclose the drill as it was conducted north of the special surveillance ship at the time, but it was later known that F-35A stealth fighters were sortieing it as a response.
The Rodong Sinmun reported, “The training determines the ground target striking and air operation performance of fighter pilots by air force divisions and regiments, reconfirms the size, procedure, method, and tactics of air strikes according to the target of the operation, masters flight command, and performs cooperative operations by unit. It was aimed at improving my abilities.”
Experts analyzed that North Korea’s nuclear threat had further intensified.
Jeong Seong-jang, director of the North Korean Research Center at the Sejong Institute, said, “North Korea’s military training, assuming the use of tactical nuclear weapons, is not only to send a ‘strong military response warning’ to the pressure of the ROK and the United States using strategic assets such as US nuclear-powered aircraft carriers, but also to reduce North Korea’s ‘war deterrent’ It also aimed to verify and improve reliability and combat power.”
“North Korea’s nuclear weapons have gone beyond a defensive level and are emerging as a very serious threat to the non-nuclear state of South Korea,” he said. We are not keeping up with the changes at all,” he said.
There was no big event… Demonstrating military power by revealing training
There was no news of a large-scale event such as a military parade on the founding day of the Labor Party this year, but it is analyzed that the report on a large-scale military training was aimed at a similar effect.
North Korea does not hold large-scale events such as military parades or the Central Reporting Conference unless it is the anniversary of the retirement, which is usually broken every five or ten years.
According to the Korean Central News Agency (KCNA), members of the Political Bureau of the Party Central Committee, including Prime Minister Kim Duk-hoon, visited the Geumsusan Palace of the Sun on the same day.
Cultural events such as the Mansudae Art Troupe, the National Symphony Orchestra, and the Youth Central Arts Propaganda Center were also held.
North Korea commemorates October 10, 1945, the founding day of the Workers’ Party of Korea, when the North Korean branch of the Communist Party of Korea was established.
