[1/4] Missiles from tactical nuclear operation unit of the western district of the Korean People's Army are launched at an undisclosed location in North Korea in this picture released by North Korea's Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) and obtained by Reuters on August 31, 2023.
KCNA via REUTERS Acquire Licensing RightsSEOUL, Aug 31 (Reuters) - North Korea conducted a simulated "scorched-earth" nuclear strike on targets across South Korea, state media reported on Thursday, in reaction to allied exercises that it said amounted to plans for a preemptive nuclear attack by the United States.
"The KPA staged a tactical nuclear strike drill simulating scorched-earth strikes at major command centers and operational airfields of the 'ROK' military gangsters on Wednesday night," it said, using initials of South Korea's official name, the Republic of Korea.
North Korea fired two short-range ballistic missiles into the sea on Wednesday, South Korea's military said, hours after the U.S. deployed B-1B bombers for allied air drills.
The latest launch came a day before South Korea and the U.S. wrap up 11 days of combined military drills, which Pyongyang has long denounced as a war rehearsal.
Persons:
Kim Jong Un, KCNA, Soo, hyang Choi, Josh Smith, Stephen Coates
Organizations:
Korean People's Army, North, Korean Central News Agency, Reuters, KCNA, REUTERS Acquire, Rights, Staff, ROK, U.S, Thomson
Locations:
North Korea, Rights SEOUL, South Korea, United States, Republic of Korea, U.S, Pyongyang