On Wednesday, the Democratic People's Republic of Korea's (DPRK) KCNA news agency reported that Kim Yo Jong, Deputy Director of the Publicity and Information Department of the Workers' Party of Korea, reaffirmed the nation's dedication to substantially enhancing its military prowess. This commitment is aimed at safeguarding DPRK's sovereignty and fostering regional peace.

Kim expressed concern over the series of military exercises conducted by the US military in the region this year, particularly highlighting the live-fire drills with the "South Korean puppet military gangsters," which she believes are destabilizing the regional security environment and pushing it into dangerous turmoil.

"We will continue to build overwhelming and the most powerful military power to safeguard our sovereignty, security, and regional peace," KCNA quoted her.

DPRK stages first 'nuclear trigger' drills

Earlier on Tuesday, April 23, the DPRK oversaw the country's first-ever "nuclear trigger" drills, which involved simulating a nuclear counterattack as a warning to enemies, KCNA confirmed. The agency reported that the drills showcased the DPRK's "nuclear trigger" management system for the first time, indicating that this was the country's combined control system for its nuclear weapons.

The drills took place on April 22, according to the report. Seoul's military had earlier announced that Pyongyang had fired several short-range ballistic missiles that day, with Tokyo also confirming the launch.

According to KCNA, the drills were in response to an ongoing US-South Korean joint air drill, which runs from April 12 to April 26.

DPRK tests 'underwater nuclear weapon system'

As part of developing its military capabilities, the DPRK tested an 'underwater nuclear weapons system' on January 19, in response to provocative joint naval exercises by Washington, Seoul, and Tokyo that involved a US nuclear-powered aircraft carrier.

The drills were "seriously threatening the security" of the DPRK, so in response, Pyongyang "conducted an important test of its underwater nuclear weapon system 'Haeil-5-23' under development in the East Sea of Korea," according to a statement from the defense ministry carried by state news agency KCNA.

Read next: DPRK to 'annihilate' S. Korea in case of sovereignty breach

Earlier this month, the DPRK announced that the joint military drills by the United States and South Korea are creating tensions on the Korean Peninsula to the "brink of a nuclear war," vowing to respond with "offensive action."

Both US and South Korean forces began a series of annual springtime military drills in March, including their first large-scale amphibious landing drills in five years. The joint air and sea exercises, among others, involve a US aircraft carrier and B-1B and B-2 bombers. 

The KCNA published a commentary on April 4, describing the drills as "a trigger for driving the situation on the Korean Peninsula to the point of explosion."