North Korea's Kim Jong Un Oversees Cruise Missile Test As South Korea-US Annual Military Drill Begins

North Korean leader Kim Jong Un has supervised a cruise missile launch amid US-South Korea's annual military drill.

North Korean supreme leader Kim Jong Un oversaw a test launch of strategic cruise missiles as South Korea and the United States began annual military drills, reported Reuters citing North Korea’s state media KCNA. It added that the missile test comes as Pyongyang sees the annual drills as a rehearsal for war. According to the KCNA, Kim visited a navy fleet stationed on the east coast to oversee the test aboard a warship, the report added. However, there is no clarification as to when the development took place.  

KCNA said that the launch was aimed at verifying the "combat function of the ship and the feature of its missile system," while improving the sailors' capability to carry out an "attack mission in actual war". It said that the ship's missile hit its target. 

The state media reported that Kim said maintaining the ship for "high mobility and mighty striking power and constant preparedness for combat to cope with sudden situations," a Reuters report said. 

Aboard the ship, he vowed to reinforce the navy with "improved combat efficiency and full modern means of surface and underwater offensive and defensive" capabilities, KCNA said. 

"We would put spurs to the modernisation of naval weapons and equipment, including the building of powerful warships and the development of shipboard and underwater weapon systems," he was quoted by KCNA as saying, reported Reuters.

 

South Korea Reacts To Development 

Meanwhile, reacting to the launch, South Koran defence ministry termed Kim’s claims as "exaggerated" and "different from the facts". 

The launch comes at a time when South Korea and the United States kicked off the Ulchi Freedom Shield summer exercises on Monday. The drill is aimed to enhance their joint responses to North Korea's nuclear and missile threats.  

On the other hand, Pyongyang has denounced the US-South Korea military drills as a rehearsal for nuclear war. 

 On the military drill, South Korea said this year's exercises will be held on the "largest-scale ever". It said that tens of thousands of troops from both sides, as well as some member states of the UN Command will be mobilised. 

According to Reuters, South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol said the drills would be conducted under several contingency scenarios. This includes cyber, terror and drone attacks, and a disinformation campaign from the North. 

 "True peace is preserved only by overwhelming force, not by one-sided begging or goodwill," Yoon told a meeting of the National Security Council., as quoted by Reuters. 

 "North Korea talks about preemptive nuclear strikes and preparations for an offensive war, but we will immediately and overwhelmingly retaliate for any provocations," he added.