DPRK tests underwater nuclear drone Haeil-1

By Al Mayadeen English
Source: Agencies
28 Mar 2023 09:57

The Democratic People's Republic of Korea reveals that the nuclear underwater drone test was successful.

North Korean President Kim Jong Un visits a room displaying what appear to be various types of warheads designed to be mounted on missiles or rocket launchers, March 27, 2023, at an undisclosed location in North Korea. (KCNA)

The Democratic People's Republic of Korea's (DPRK) national news agency, KCNA, revealed on Tuesday that the DPRK's Academy of Defense Science conducted another test of an underwater strategic weapon system from March 25 to March 27.

The underwater nuclear attack drone Haeil-1 was launched for examination in Wonsan Bay on the afternoon of March 25 and arrived at the target point in the waters off Hwadae County in North Hamgyong Province on the morning of March 27.

The drone cruised for 41 hours and 27 minutes and successfully detonated the test warhead underwater. The path it took was along a jagged and oval course, which simulated the distance of 600 kilometers in the East Sea of Korea.

KCNA reported that "through the test, all tactical and technical specifications and underwater navigational and technical indices were correctly estimated and the reliability and safety of the weapon system were verified."

DPRK test-launches 2 ballistic missiles towards Sea of Japan

South Korean news reported that an unspecified ballistic missile was test-fired toward the Sea of Japan by the DPRK on March 27, citing Seoul's military. In response, the Japanese Coast Guard issued two warnings that two launches were carried out by South Korea.

After the first warning was issued at 07:50 am local time by the Japan coast guard, with the second following 10 minutes later, Japan’s Defense Ministry stated that the missiles traveled 350 kilometers with an altitude of 31 miles before plunging into the sea.

Japan confirmed that both missiles landed outside of the country's exclusive economic zone.

That drill also came a week after a ballistic test missile fired by North Korea also landed outside of Japan's exclusive economic zone, and the former's leader Kim Jong-un announced that it was part of a military drill intended to test his country's ability to react to a nuclear attack with nuclear weapons of its own.

According to North Korean media, Kim Jong-un "stressed the need to let service personnel get familiar with any unexpected circumstances and make them more prepared in their active posture of making an immediate and overwhelming nuclear counterattack anytime."