N Korea fires cruise missiles as US-South Korean military drills begin
North Korea has fired two strategic cruise missiles from a submarine in a show of force just hours before the United States and South Korea began their largest joint military drills in 5 years.
The tests, reported by state media on Monday, came days after North Korea's leader Kim Jong Un oversaw a series of weapons launches and ordered his soldiers to intensify efforts to repel its rivals’ 'frantic war preparation moves'.
The official Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) said the missile launches showed Pyongyong's resolve to respond with 'overwhelming powerful forces' to so-called military manoeuvres by the 'the United States imperialists and the South Korean puppet forces'.
KCNA also implied that North Korea aims to arm the cruise missiles tested with nuclear warheads.
Pyongyang views military exercises between the United States and South Korea as rehearsals for invasion and argues its nuclear weapons and missile programmes are necessary for self-defence.
The militaries of the US and South Korea began their 'Freedom Shield' drills early on Monday, the first time such large-scale drills have been held since 2018 when they were suspended in support of renewed diplomatic efforts to secure North Korea's denuclearisation.
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