(RightWing.org) – North Korean dictator Kim Jong-un appears hellbent on provoking the United States and its allies. He continues test-firing suspected hypersonic missiles, long-range ICBMs, and other advanced weapons systems when he isn’t staging sophisticated joint military training drills. Most recently, the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea’s (DPRK’s) armed services launched a massive exercise that simulated a nuclear attack.
On Thursday, August 31, the North Korean News Agency (KCNA), the nation’s state-run media company, reported that Kim Jong-un visited the command training post of the Korean People’s Army (KPA) on Tuesday to observe a simulated scorched earth nuclear attack on the Republic of South Korea (ROK). The KPA’s general staff staged the massive drill in response to recent exercises conducted by the US and ROK, or “military gangsters” in KCNA-speak.
The drill, involving the entire KPA, provided an opportunity for the service branch’s general staff to inspect and review the operational organization and command capabilities of the commanding officers and staff members during a simulated “all-out war” against the DPRK.
The exercise also provided commanding offers, staffers, and service members an opportunity to familiarize themselves with the actions and procedures required to defend North Korean territory during a nuclear conflict. The drill also simulated a massive counter-offensive placing KPA troops behind enemy lines.
On Wednesday, the KPA fired tactical missiles from Pyongyang to simulate a counter-strike over major ROK airfields and military command centers. Fox News reported that observers noted that the tactical ballistic missiles detonated at fixed altitudes, indicating they likely used them to simulate strikes using nuclear-armed warheads. Weapon manufacturers typically design atomic weapons to burst in the air to increase the resulting damage.
It remains unclear how much of a viable threat Kim Jong-un presents to the US and its allies in the Asia Pacific Region. The North Korean dictator has a long history of saber rattling. Nevertheless, South Korean officials condemned the simulation, warning that the DPRK would face an “overwhelming response” by its military aided by the US and Japan.
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