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| North Korea says missile launches were nuclear attack simulation on South | North Korea says missile launches were nuclear attack simulation on South |
| (about 3 hours later) | |
| One of the recent missile launches at an undisclosed area in North Korea | One of the recent missile launches at an undisclosed area in North Korea |
| North Korea says its recent barrage of missile launches were a "simulation" of a nuclear attack on the South. | North Korea says its recent barrage of missile launches were a "simulation" of a nuclear attack on the South. |
| It comes as intelligence suggests North Korea is preparing to hold its first nuclear weapon test in five years. | It comes as intelligence suggests North Korea is preparing to hold its first nuclear weapon test in five years. |
| In recent weeks, Pyongyang has launched seven sets of missiles in response to recent US and South Korea drills. | In recent weeks, Pyongyang has launched seven sets of missiles in response to recent US and South Korea drills. |
| On Monday, state media published extensive reports claiming the missiles were designed to carry tactical nuclear weapons. | On Monday, state media published extensive reports claiming the missiles were designed to carry tactical nuclear weapons. |
| These are small short-range weapons intended for use on the battlefield. They said the military practised loading the missiles with dummy versions of these miniaturised warheads. | These are small short-range weapons intended for use on the battlefield. They said the military practised loading the missiles with dummy versions of these miniaturised warheads. |
| They also claimed to have successfully simulated hitting South Korea's military bases, ports and airports, and said the launches were a warning to US and South Korea. | They also claimed to have successfully simulated hitting South Korea's military bases, ports and airports, and said the launches were a warning to US and South Korea. |
| State news agency KNCA ran photos of leader Kim Jong-un overseeing and "guiding" the tests. | State news agency KNCA ran photos of leader Kim Jong-un overseeing and "guiding" the tests. |
| South Korean President Yoon Suk-yeol said North Korea has nothing to gain from using nuclear weapons. | |
| "North Korea is advancing its nuclear development and threatening not only the Republic of Korea but the world," he said, referring to South Korea by its official name. | |
| "I believe it has nothing to gain from nuclear weapons." | |
| State media also published several pictures of Kim Jong-un presiding over the missile launches | State media also published several pictures of Kim Jong-un presiding over the missile launches |
| US and South Korea intelligence officials have been suggesting that the North may soon test a nuclear weapon for the first time since 2017. | US and South Korea intelligence officials have been suggesting that the North may soon test a nuclear weapon for the first time since 2017. |
| Experts believe it could also use the opportunity to detonate a smaller tactical device for the first time - the sort which would fit into the missiles it has been testing. | Experts believe it could also use the opportunity to detonate a smaller tactical device for the first time - the sort which would fit into the missiles it has been testing. |
| Last month Kim Jong-un declared North Korea an "irreversible" nuclear power and revised its laws, allowing it to use nuclear weapons pre-emptively. Its previous policy had been to only use such weapons in response to an attack. | Last month Kim Jong-un declared North Korea an "irreversible" nuclear power and revised its laws, allowing it to use nuclear weapons pre-emptively. Its previous policy had been to only use such weapons in response to an attack. |
| It has also markedly stepped up its frequency of missile firings this year, carrying out over 40 missile launches this year so far - its most ever. | It has also markedly stepped up its frequency of missile firings this year, carrying out over 40 missile launches this year so far - its most ever. |
| Most of the launches in the past fortnight have been short-range missiles, which landed in the sea between North Korea and Japan. | Most of the launches in the past fortnight have been short-range missiles, which landed in the sea between North Korea and Japan. |
| But North Korea also fired a longer-distance missile over Japan last Tuesday - which analysts say is a new intermediate-range ballistic missile, based on the weapon's design. | But North Korea also fired a longer-distance missile over Japan last Tuesday - which analysts say is a new intermediate-range ballistic missile, based on the weapon's design. |
| This year has seen the North test-fire missiles from a variety of launch sites including trains and convoys - moving platforms which would make it harder for the weapons to be destroyed in a strike, analysts have suggested. | This year has seen the North test-fire missiles from a variety of launch sites including trains and convoys - moving platforms which would make it harder for the weapons to be destroyed in a strike, analysts have suggested. |
| They also noted that Monday's state media reports framed the recent launches as "tactical nuclear operations units" - instead of describing them purely as missile tests - suggesting that North Korea has now developed a system for deploying smaller, short-range nuclear weapons. | They also noted that Monday's state media reports framed the recent launches as "tactical nuclear operations units" - instead of describing them purely as missile tests - suggesting that North Korea has now developed a system for deploying smaller, short-range nuclear weapons. |
| Wargaming a North Korean attack | Wargaming a North Korean attack |
| What are North Korea's nuclear capabilities? | What are North Korea's nuclear capabilities? |
| The 25 September-October 9 barrage were a response to the US deploying its nuclear-powered aircraft carrier the USS Ronald Reagan to waters around the Korean peninsula, and holding joint drills with Seoul and Tokyo. | The 25 September-October 9 barrage were a response to the US deploying its nuclear-powered aircraft carrier the USS Ronald Reagan to waters around the Korean peninsula, and holding joint drills with Seoul and Tokyo. |
| The acceleration marks a significant change from when Pyongyang pursued denuclearisation talks with then US President Donald Trump between 2018 and 2019. | The acceleration marks a significant change from when Pyongyang pursued denuclearisation talks with then US President Donald Trump between 2018 and 2019. |
| Analysts say North Korea is also reacting in response to South Korea's President Yoon Suk-yeol, who was elected in May and has pursued a more hawkish stance to the North and closer ties with the US. | Analysts say North Korea is also reacting in response to South Korea's President Yoon Suk-yeol, who was elected in May and has pursued a more hawkish stance to the North and closer ties with the US. |
| North Korea's recent launches | North Korea's recent launches |
| Sunday 25 September: A short-range missile fired the day after a US naval carrier arrived in waters around the Korean peninsula. 600km distance/60km altitude | Sunday 25 September: A short-range missile fired the day after a US naval carrier arrived in waters around the Korean peninsula. 600km distance/60km altitude |
| Wednesday 28 September: Two short-range missiles fired on the eve of US Vice President Kamala Harris' visit to Seoul and the DMZ. 360km distance/30km altitude | Wednesday 28 September: Two short-range missiles fired on the eve of US Vice President Kamala Harris' visit to Seoul and the DMZ. 360km distance/30km altitude |
| Thursday 29 September: Two short-range missiles after Harris departed South Korea. 300km distance/50km altitude | Thursday 29 September: Two short-range missiles after Harris departed South Korea. 300km distance/50km altitude |
| Saturday 1 October: Two short-range missiles fired amid continuing US-South Korea-Japan drills. 400km distance/50km altitude | Saturday 1 October: Two short-range missiles fired amid continuing US-South Korea-Japan drills. 400km distance/50km altitude |
| Tuesday 4 October: An intermediate-range ballistic missile fired over Japan. 4,500km distance/2,800km altitude | Tuesday 4 October: An intermediate-range ballistic missile fired over Japan. 4,500km distance/2,800km altitude |
| Thursday 6 October: Two short-range missiles fired. 800km distance/50km altitude | Thursday 6 October: Two short-range missiles fired. 800km distance/50km altitude |
| Sunday 9 October: Two more short-range missiles | Sunday 9 October: Two more short-range missiles |