SEOUL: N Korea test-fired two strategic cruise missiles from a submarine in a demo of force ahead of the United States (US) and S Korea’s major joint military drills, state-run media reported early Monday. According to KCNA news agency a submarine fired the missiles from waters off the eastern coastal city of Sinpo. However, the South Korean military officials said that it detected the launch of a single unnamed missile.
The latest development came hours before the United States (US) and South Korea were set to start their largest joint drills in five years on Monday. Nuclear-armed N Korea warned such exercises could be seen as a “declaration of war”.
The US and South Korea have ramped up defense and military cooperation in the face of growing nuclear threats from North Korea, which has carried out ever more provocative banned arms tests in the last few months.
US-South Korea to start largest exercises
The South Korea-US drills, called “Freedom Shield”, are scheduled to continue for at least ten days from Monday and will focus on the “changing security environment” due to N. Korea’s aggression, the allies claimed.
In a rare move, the S. Korean military revealed that Washington and Seoul special troops were staging “Teak Knife” military drills ahead of the “Freedom Shield” exercise. All such drills infuriate N. Korea, which views them as rehearsals for an attack. N. Korea said its nuclear missile programs are for the purpose of self-defense.
The US has repeatedly restated its commitment to defending S. Korea, including using its “full range capabilities, including nuclear”. Seoul, for its part, is eager to reassure its increasingly nervous public about Washington’s commitment to extended deterrence, in which American military assets, including nuclear arms, serve to stop attacks on close allies.
