North Korea has conducted a test of a nuclear-capable underwater attack drone in retaliation to joint naval exercises involving South Korea, the United States, and Japan, according to state media reports.
Pyongyang tested the “Haeil-5-23″ in waters off the east coast, citing the US and its allies as a serious threat to the country’s security and destabilizing the regional situation, as stated by North Korea’s defense ministry in a report carried by the Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) on Friday.
The statement warned of “catastrophic consequences” for the US and its allies, emphasizing that North Korea’s underwater nuke-based countering posture is being further developed to deter hostile military maneuvers.
Last year, North Korea claimed to have tested the drone twice, highlighting its ability to carry out sneak attacks and generate a “radioactive tsunami” through an underwater explosion. However, South Korean officials have expressed skepticism about the weapon’s capabilities.
Earlier this week, Washington, Seoul, and Tokyo conducted joint naval drills involving nine warships, including the aircraft carrier USS Carl Vinson, off South Korea’s south coast.
Link from www.aljazeera.com