Seoul, 14 September (H.S.): Following the conclusion of a five-day joint military exercise involving South Korea, the United States and Japan, North Korea conducted a large-scale “firepower strike drill” involving artillery and missile units. North Korean state media reported the military exercise on Monday.

According to South Korea’s state-run Yonhap News Agency, the report came two days after South Korea’s Joint Chiefs of Staff (JCS) said that North Korea had launched several short-range ballistic missiles towards the East Sea from the Wonsan area.

On September 12, long-range artillery and missile units of the Korean People’s Army participated in a joint firepower attack drill.

The exercise involved sub-units selected from five combined artillery and missile units. Several advanced weapons systems were demonstrated during the drill, including various types of attack drones, tactical cruise missiles, large-calibre thermal-pressure multiple rocket launchers and tactical ballistic missiles.

North Korean state media claimed that all strike weapon systems hit their designated targets with 100 per cent accuracy. Pyongyang described the exercise as a demonstration of its firepower capabilities and the ability of different military units to operate in coordination.

North Korean leader Kim Jong-un was not present during the drill. The exercise was supervised by Pak Jong-chon, vice chairman of North Korea’s Central Military Commission.

Meanwhile, Yu Chang-son, director of the North Korean Army’s Artillery Bureau, said that practical exercises of this nature would strengthen preparations for counteraction against adversaries and improve military expertise.

Saturday’s missile launch is considered North Korea’s 13th ballistic missile test of the year. South Korean officials assessed that the missiles could have been short-range ballistic missiles from the Hwasong-11 series. Reports also indicated that shells were fired from a 600-millimetre super-large multiple rocket launcher.

North Korea generally announces missile launches one day after they take place. However, this time the report was published only by the Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) and was not carried by Rodong Sinmun, the country’s leading media outlet aimed at domestic audiences.

South Korea, the United States and Japan completed their five-day “Freedom Edge” military exercise on Friday in international waters east and south of South Korea’s Jeju Island.

North Korea has strongly criticised the exercise. Its Defence Minister Kim Song-gi described US-led military exercises as provocative actions and warned that Pyongyang would take countermeasures.

However, although the United States and South Korea reduced their annual Ulchi Freedom Shield (UFS) exercise last month following an instruction from US President Donald Trump, the Freedom Edge exercise involving the United States, South Korea and Japan went ahead as scheduled.

Meanwhile, US President Donald Trump has also expressed his desire to meet North Korean leader Kim Jong-un this year. Against the backdrop of continuing military tensions and efforts to explore possible diplomatic engagement, the situation on the Korean Peninsula remains under close international scrutiny.

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Hindusthan Samachar / Jun Sarkar