Current:Home > NewsNorth Korea says it tested a nuclear-capable underwater drone in response to rivals’ naval drills -NextFrontier Finance
North Korea says it tested a nuclear-capable underwater drone in response to rivals’ naval drills
View
Date:2025-04-27 21:10:03
SEOUL, South Korea (AP) — North Korea said Friday it has tested a nuclear-capable underwater attack drone in response to a combined naval exercise by South Korea, the United States and Japan this week, as it continues to blame its rivals for raising tensions in the region.
The test of the drone, purportedly designed to destroy naval vessels and ports, came days after North Korean leader Kim Jong Un declared he is scrapping his country’s long-standing goal of a peaceful reunification with South Korea and that his country will rewrite its constitution to define South Korea as its most hostile foreign adversary.
Tensions on the Korean Peninsula have risen to their highest point in years, with Kim accelerating his weapons testing and threatening nuclear conflict. The United States and its Asian allies have responded by strengthening their combined military exercises, which Kim calls rehearsals for an invasion.
The underwater drone, which North Korea said it first tested last year, is among a broad range of weapon systems demonstrated in recent years as Kim expands his arsenal of nuclear-capable weapons. South Korea’s military says North Korea has exaggerated the capabilities of the drone.
North Korea’s military said it conducted the test in the country’s eastern waters in response to a naval drill by the U.S., South Korea and Japan which ended Wednesday in waters south of Jeju island. It did not say when the test occurred.
“Our army’s underwater nuke-based countering posture is being further rounded off and its various maritime and underwater responsive actions will continue to deter the hostile military maneuvers of the navies of the U.S. and its allies,” North Korea’s Defense Ministry said in a statement.
“We strongly denounce the U.S. and its followers for their reckless acts of seriously threatening the security of (North Korea) from the outset of the year and sternly warn them of the catastrophic consequences to be entailed by them,” it said.
In this photo provided by South Korea’s Joint Chiefs of Staff, the aircraft carrier USS Carl Vinson, left, sails with South Korea and Japan’s destroyers in the international waters of the southern coast of Korean peninsular during a recent joint drill in 2024. (South Korea’s Joint Chiefs of Staff via AP)
South Korea’s Defense Ministry denounced North Korea’s recent tests as a violation of U.N. Security Council resolutions and a threat to “peace in the Korean Peninsula and the world.” It said in a statement that the U.S. and South Korean militaries were maintaining a firm defense posture against possible North Korean provocations.
North Korea in recent months has tested various missile systems designed to target the United States and its Asian allies, and announced an escalatory nuclear doctrine that authorizes the military to conduct preemptive nuclear strikes if North Korea’s leadership is under threat.
North Korea conducted its first ballistic missile test of 2024 on Sunday. State media described it as a new solid-fuel, intermediate-range missile tipped with a hypersonic warhead, likely intended to target U.S. military bases in Guam and Japan.
At an emergency meeting of the U.N. Security Council on Thursday, South Korea urged the council “to break the silence” over North Korea’s escalating missile tests and threats. Russia and China, both permanent members of the Security Council, have blocked U.S.-led efforts to increase sanctions on North Korea over its recent weapons tests, underscoring a divide deepened over Russia’s war on Ukraine. South Korea is serving a two-year term on the council.
___
Follow AP’s Asia-Pacific coverage at https://apnews.com/hub/asia-pacific
veryGood! (36)
Related
- NFL Week 15 picks straight up and against spread: Bills, Lions put No. 1 seed hopes on line
- Presidential debates commission announces dates and locations for 2024
- Pennsylvania governor appeals decision blocking plan to make power plants pay for greenhouse gases
- At least 37 dead after stampede at military stadium in Republic of Congo during recruitment event
- B.A. Parker is learning the banjo
- Fund to compensate developing nations for climate change is unfinished business at COP28
- Serbia and Croatia expel diplomats and further strain relations between the Balkan neighbors
- Wildfires, gusting winds at Great Smoky Mountains National Park leave roads, campgrounds closed
- Chuck Scarborough signs off: Hoda Kotb, Al Roker tribute legendary New York anchor
- Here’s What’s Coming to Netflix in December 2023
Ranking
- 'Vanderpump Rules' star DJ James Kennedy arrested on domestic violence charges
- Expecting Overnight Holiday Guests? Then You'll Need This Super Affordable Amazon Sheet Set
- After fire destroys woman's car, but not her Stanley tumbler, company steps up
- Willie Hernández, 1984 AL MVP and World Series champ with Detroit Tigers, dies at 69
- Justice Department, Louisville reach deal after probe prompted by Breonna Taylor killing
- Michigan woman starts lottery club after her husband dies, buys $1 million Powerball ticket
- Rumer Willis shares photo of Bruce Willis amid dementia battle: 'Really missing my papa'
- Quiet, secret multimillionaire leaves tiny New Hampshire hometown his fortune
Recommendation
Trump's 'stop
Watch this veteran burst into tears when surprised with a life-changing scooter
Padres give Mike Shildt another chance to manage 2 years after his Cardinals exit, AP source says
Kansas officials blame 5-week disruption of court system on ‘sophisticated foreign cyberattack’
Paris Hilton, Nicole Richie return for an 'Encore,' reminisce about 'The Simple Life'
I thought Lions coach Dan Campbell was a goofy meathead. I am in fact the goofy meathead.
German police raid homes of 17 people accused of posting antisemitic hate speech on social media
'Miracle dog' regaining weight after spending 2 months in wilderness by dead owner's side