North Korean leader Kim Jong Un oversaw the attack. a series of exercises, involving new "very large" multiple rocket launchers, announced state news agency KCNA on Tuesday. This announcement comes during a visit by US Secretary of State Antony Blinken to South Korea, in a context of tensions with Seoul and Washington. These North Korean exercises also come a few days after the end of major US-South Korean military exercises. South Korea said Pyongyang launched several ballistic missiles on Monday, which traveled some 300 kilometers before crashing into the East Sea, also known as the Sea of Japan.< /p> Photo taken on March 18, 2024 by the North Korean agency Kcna of large rocket firing exercises at an unconfirmed location in North Korea © KCNA VIA KNS – STR According to the South Korean Yonhap news agency, the large rocket launchers, called KN-25 by the militaries of Seoul and Washington, propel short-range ballistic missiles. They can be equipped with a tactical nuclear warhead, says Pyongyang. The North Korean leader on Monday supervised these exercises testing “war capabilities “real” of these weapons, underlined KCNA. – “Perfect preparation” – The exercises also consisted of simulating the aerial explosion of a shell coming from a very large multiple rocket launcher at a predetermined altitude above the target, according to the North Korean agency. < img alt = "kcna via kNS" src = "https://img-4.linternaute.com/l2ib4rsygfhxtaizvdakgl0=/600x/smart/660cf7a9af434c6787ac667c40549152/ccmcms-lintern .jpg " /> Photo released on March 18, 2024 by the North Korean agency Kcna of North Korean leader Kim Jong Un (d) observing on a screen firing exercises of new multiple rocket launchers at an unconfirmed location in North Korea © KCNA VIA KNS – STR Kim Jong Un said the multiple rocket launcher would help the North “block and suppress the possibility of war through perfect and constant preparation to collapse the enemy's capital.” according to KCNA. During the exercise, “massive super-large multiple rocket launcher shells” flew towards the target with the flame of annihilation of the enemy”, detailed the North Korean agency. Images published by state media showed the leader of the reclusive country, dressed in his usual jacket black leather, observing the exercises with his generals and celebrating their apparent success by raising his fist. Mr. Blinken arrived in South Korea on Sunday to participate in the third “Summit for Democracy”, an initiative by United States President Joe Biden, and which Seoul is hosting from Monday to Wednesday. Government officials, NGOs and members of civil society are present. The American Secretary of State also met his South Korean counterpart Cho Tae-yul and discussed strengthening the alliance between Washington and Seoul, as part of a policy of “extended deterrence” against the North. Photo taken on March 18, 2024 by the North Korean agency Kcna of large rocket firing exercises at an unconfirmed location in North Korea © KCNA VIA KNS – STR On Thursday, Seoul and Washington concluded their annual large-scale “Freedom Shield” exercises, including missile interception and air assaults. The number of troops participating was doubled compared to 2023. Pyongyang warned in early March that the United States and South Korea would pay a “high price” for these maneuvers before announcing that Mr. Kim had supervised a large-scale artillery exercise including, according to him, border units “that brought the enemy's capital within their reach.” All rights of reproduction and representation reserved. © (2024) Agence France-Presse
By Teilor Stone
Teilor Stone has been a reporter on the news desk since 2013. Before that she wrote about young adolescence and family dynamics for Styles and was the legal affairs correspondent for the Metro desk. Before joining Thesaxon , Teilor Stone worked as a staff writer at the Village Voice and a freelancer for Newsday, The Wall Street Journal, GQ and Mirabella. To get in touch, contact me through my teilor@nizhtimes.com 1-800-268-7116