North Korea Conducts Simulated Nuclear Strikes Amid Rising Tensions with US, South Korea

North Korean leader Kim Jong Un oversaw the launch of short-range ballistic missile systems designed to simulate nuclear counterstrikes against US and South Korean forces, state media reported Friday, as per The Associated Press.

The tests, conducted Thursday, come as Pyongyang blames its adversaries for escalating tensions through joint military drills.

According to North Korea’s official Korean Central News Agency (KCNA), the exercises involved a mobile ballistic missile system modeled after Russia’s Iskander missile and 600-millimeter multiple rocket launchers, which South Korean officials classify as ballistic missiles due to their guided, self-propelled nature. The regime claimed the systems are capable of carrying tactical nuclear warheads for battlefield use.

KCNA said the launches were part of a training exercise to enhance the readiness of units operating missile and rocket systems under the country’s nuclear weapons control framework. The goal, according to the report, was to ensure a swift and decisive response capability in the event of a nuclear conflict.

The missile launches were also portrayed as a direct reaction to US-South Korean military exercises, which North Korea routinely denounces as rehearsals for invasion. KCNA described the tests as a demonstration of the “rapid counteraction posture” of the North’s nuclear forces and reiterated Pyongyang’s assertion that Washington and its allies are pushing the peninsula toward war.

Kim Jong Un emphasized the importance of reinforcing the role of North Korea’s nuclear arsenal in both deterrence and combat operations, calling for continued improvements in precision strike capabilities and combat readiness, the report said.

South Korean officials condemned the launches. Kim Inae, spokesperson for the Ministry of Unification, labeled the tests a “clear act of provocation” in violation of United Nations Security Council resolutions, adding that the actions pose a serious threat to regional peace and stability.

South Korea’s Joint Chiefs of Staff reported that multiple missiles were fired from the eastern port city of Wonsan between 8:10 and 9:20 a.m. local time on Thursday. The projectiles varied in type, with the farthest traveling roughly 500 miles. The launches mark North Korea’s sixth such event of 2025 and the first ballistic activity since March 10, when similar missile tests coincided with the start of annual US-South Korean joint drills.

Lee Sung Joon, spokesperson for the Joint Chiefs, noted that the launches might also be tied to North Korea’s expanding weapons exports, particularly to Russia. Pyongyang is believed to be supplying Moscow with military equipment and personnel in support of its war in Ukraine.

Japanese Defense Minister Gen Nakatani confirmed that none of the projectiles entered Japan’s exclusive economic zone and reported no damage to nearby aircraft or vessels.

The tests came just one day after North Korean media reported that Kim had called on munition factories to ramp up artillery shell production, underscoring his regime’s growing military cooperation with Russia.

Tensions on the Korean Peninsula have surged as North Korea accelerates its missile and nuclear programs while deepening ties with Moscow, fueling concerns of a broader geopolitical realignment in the region.