Kim Jong Un Fires Mock Nuclear Warheads In 'Counteraction Drill' Amid Joint Military Exercise By US, South Korea

Kim Jong Un fired mock nuclear warheads on Sunday as North Korea escalated tension in reaction to amplified military activity by the U.S. and South Korea.

What Happened: The state-owned Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) said the North Korean missile launch was a “counteraction drill” in response to the uptick in joint military actions by the U.S. and South Korea.

“Two long-range, strategic cruise missiles tipped with mock nuclear warheads were fired” from North Korea’s western coast into the southern sea, KCNA reported.

The exact specifications of the missiles are being evaluated. However, a South Korea's Joint Chiefs of Staff (JCS) official dismissed North Korea’s claims as “exaggerated,” the South China Morning Post reported.

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Why It Matters: Experts suggest that North Korea’s moves reflect a desperate bid by Kim’s regime to deter South Korea and its strengthened alliance with Washington. According to Seoul-based Ewha University professor Leif-Eric Easley, Pyongyang’s actions likely aim to bolster domestic political legitimacy beyond simple deterrence.

North Korea's claims "suggest the Kim regime is desperate to deter an increasingly capable South Korea, including Seoul's strengthened alliance with Washington," Easley said.

"Pyongyang's rhetoric actually goes far beyond the logic of deterrence, probably to shore up domestic political legitimacy, which is an ominous sign for inter-Korean relations," he added.

With inter-Korean relations declining and denuclearization talks at a standstill, Kim has declared North Korea an irreversible nuclear power and has called for the increased production of arms, including tactical nuclear weapons.

Last month, Kim called for naval reinforcements due to increased military cooperation between South Korea, the U.S., and Japan.

North Korea also conducted a nuclear strike drill in August, launching two ballistic missiles into the Sea of Japan in response to the presence of U.S. strategic bombers in the Korean Peninsula.

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