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North Korea claims to test underwater nuclear-capable drone

Ryan Robertson Investigative Reporter/Anchor
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North Korea claims to have tested a nuclear-capable underwater attack drone in response to a joint naval exercise by the United States, South Korea and Japan. North Korea continues to throw blame at its adversaries as tensions rise in the region. The country’s leader, Kim Jong Un, announced North Korea allegedly tested the new weapon on Friday, Jan. 19, 2024.

The drone is said to be designed to destroy naval vessels and ports. The alleged test came days after Kim said he was no longer pursuing his country’s long-standing goal of a peaceful reunification with South Korea. He declared that his country would rewrite the constitution to define South Korea as its most hostile foreign adversary.

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Over the past few months, tensions have steadily risen, with Kim enhancing testing of his weapons and threatening nuclear conflict with his growing arsenal. The U.S. and its allies have responded to North Korea’s aggression by conducting show-of-strength military exercises, which Kim believes are a pretext for an invasion, per Associated Press reporting.

The underwater drone — which North Korea reportedly said was first tested last year — is among a growing range of weapon systems tested as Kim displays his arsenal of nuclear-capable weapons. However, South Korea’s military claims North Korea has exaggerated the drone’s capabilities.

North Korea said it tested the drone in the country’s eastern waters in response to a naval drill by the U.S., Japan and South Korea. The drill ended Wednesday, Jan. 17, 2024, in the waters south of mainland South Korea and Jeju Island. North Korea did not say when the test of the underwater drone 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.

South Korea’s Defense Ministry condemned North Korea’s recent tests as a violation of U.N. Security Council’s resolutions and a threat to “peace in the Korean Peninsula and the world.” According to the Associated Press, the ministry said in a statement that the U.S. and South Korean militaries are maintaining a firm defense posture against possible North Korean provocations.

North Korea has reportedly tested various missile systems believed to be designed to target the United States and its Asian allies. North Korea also announced renewed efforts to build up its nuclear weapon stockpile, which includes a new nuclear doctrine that authorizes the military to conduct preemptive nuclear strikes if North Korean leadership is perceived to be under threat.

During an emergency meeting of the U.N. Security Council on Thursday, Jan. 18, 2024, South Korean officials urged the council “to break the silence” over North Korea’s increased missile tests and threats. Russia and China have blocked recent U.S.-led efforts to increase sanctions on North Korea over its weapons tests, as a deep divide remains over Russia’s war in Ukraine. Both Russia and China are permanent members of the U.N. Security Council, while South Korea is serving a two-year term on the council.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

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[RYAN ROBERTSON]

NORTH KOREA SAYS IT TESTED AN UNDERWATER NUCLEAR ATTACK DRONE IN RESPONSE TO A JOINT NAVAL EXERCISE BETWEEN THE U.S., JAPAN AND SOUTH KOREA.

NORTH KOREA ANNOUNCED THE DRONE’S LAUNCH ON FRIDAY JUST DAYS AFTER KIM JONG UN SCRAPPED HIS COUNTRY’S LONG-STANDING GOAL OF PEACEFUL REUNIFICATION WITH SOUTH KOREA.

KIM VOWED HIS COUNTRY IS REWRITING ITS CONSTITUTION TO DEFINE SOUTH KOREA AS ITS MOST HOSTILE ENEMY.

TENSION ON THE KOREAN PENINSULA IS STEADILY RISING AS KIM ACCELERATES PRODUCTION OF WEAPONS AND THREATENS NUCLEAR CONFLICT ONCE AGAIN.

THE U.S. AND ITS ALLIES ARE RESPONDING BY BEEFING-UP COMBINED MILITARY EXERCISES, WHICH KIM CLAIMS IS PRACTICE FOR AN INVASION.

THE UNDERWATER DRONE – DESIGNED TO DESTROY NAVAL VESSELS AND PORTS AND FIRST TESTED LAST YEAR – IS JUST ONE OF THE NEW WEAPONS IN NORTH KOREA’S ARSENAL.

BUT SOUTH KOREA CLAIMS THE NORTH IS EXAGGERATING ITS DRONE’S CAPABILITIES.

DESPITE THE SKEPTICISM, NORTH KOREA’S DEFENSE MINISTRY SAID:

“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.”

THE STATEMENT WENT ON TO WARN THE U.S. AND ITS ALLIES OF “CATASTROPHIC CONSEQUENCES” FOR INCREASED MILITARY ACTIVITY IN THE REGION.

SOUTH KOREA CONDEMNED THE NORTH’S RECENT TESTS SAYING IT “THREATENS PEACE IN THE KOREAN PENINSULA AND THE WORLD.”

LAST WEEKEND, KIM CONDUCTED HIS FIRST BALLISTIC MISSILE TEST OF THE YEAR. 

STATE MEDIA DESCRIBE THAT WEAPON AS A “NEW-SOLID-FUEL, INTERMEDIATE-RANGE MISSILE” TIPPED WITH A HYPERSONIC WARHEAD.

DURING AN EMERGENCY MEETING AT THE U.N., THURSDAY, SOUTH KOREA PLEADED WITH THE COUNCIL TO QUOTE “BREAK THE SILENCE” OVER KIM’S ESCALATING MISSILES TESTS AND THREATS.

RUSSIA AND CHINA BLOCKED U-S-LED EFFORTS TO INCREASE SANCTIONS ON NORTH KOREA, AS NEW ACTS OF HOSTILITY EMERGE.