N Korea Tests Underwater Nuclear Weapon, Cuts Communication With S Korea
by Kyle Anzalone | Apr 10, 2023
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Pyongyang has tested an “underwater nuclear attack drone.” The strategic weapons test comes as Washington and Seoul have carried out multiple rounds of war games. Amid the heightened military activity, Pyongyang has stopped communication on a joint line with Seoul.
On Monday, the North Korean state media outlet KCNA issued a statement saying Pyongyang carried out a test of its “Haeil-2” weapons. Haeil-2 is an underwater drone capable of detonating a nuclear weapon. The exercise started on April 4 and ran through the 7.
“The test perfectly proved the reliability of the underwater strategic weapon system and its fatal attack ability,” KCNA reported. “The system will serve as an advantageous and prospective military potential of the armed forces of the DPRK essential for containing all evolving military actions of enemies, removing threats and defending the country.”
Pyongyang carried out the test as Washington, Seoul and Japan conducted anti-submarine war games in the waters near the Korean Peninsula. Prior to the trilateral military exercises, US and South Korean forces conducted the largest war games on the Peninsula in five years. Washington and Seoul are planning to conduct their largest-ever military drills in June.
North Korea issued a strong response to the drills. “The US and its followers should never forget the fact that their rival state has possessed the nuclear attack capability in practice as well as the characteristics of the people and army of the DPRK which do not make empty talk,” an editorial appearing in KCNA said, adding “It will be quite clear how the DPRK’s nukes will be used if the war deterrence does not work on those who are running amok.”
As tensions have spiked, Seoul has reached out to Pyongyang through a joint communication line. However, South Korea reports its calls have gone unanswered during the past four days. A spokesperson for Seoul said it is the first time since October 2021 that the two states did not communicate for more than a day.
Go Myong-hyun, a senior fellow of the Asan Institute for Policy Studies, told the Miami Herald, that Pyongyang likely cut the line as a response to the American and South Korean war games. “It’s unlikely a step toward escalation, but more of a tit-for-tat response against the joint military drills and much more elevated deterrence posture from South Korea and the US,” Go said.
While the US and its allies claim that war games are defensive, North Korea says the drills are preparations for a regime change war. “The US has parroted that the military drills with South Korea are defensive,” the KCNA editorial said. “But, they can never conceal with such veils as ‘defensive’ and ‘routine’ their aggressive colors as provocateurs and the fact that the current exercises are a deliberate military action prompted by their sinister scheme … to wreck peace and stability in the Korean peninsula.”
About Kyle Anzalone
Kyle Anzalone is news editor of the Libertarian Institute, opinion editor of Antiwar.com and co-host of Conflicts of Interest with Will Porter and Connor Freeman.
