By Akinsuroju Olubunmi
Tensions escalate: North Korea tests underwater drone amidst naval exercises.
In response to joint naval exercises conducted by South Korea, the United States, and Japan, North Korea claimed to have tested an underwater nuclear attack drone. The alleged drone test follows North Korean leader Kim Jong Un‘s recent announcement to abandon the pursuit of peaceful unification with South Korea, escalating tensions on the Korean Peninsula.
This purported “underwater self-explosive drone” was not a nuclear device but rather a navigation test for a battery-powered underwater suicide drone, according to military expert Shin Jong-woo. North Korea aimed to assess the drone’s performance over long distances and periods, resembling a cross between a rocket and an unmanned submarine capable, as claimed, of carrying a nuclear warhead.
Last spring, North Korea reportedly tested a similar drone, cruising about 600 miles underwater over three days before detonating a non-nuclear warhead at sea. South Korea’s military remains skeptical of the alleged capabilities, asserting that North Korea may be exaggerating the drone’s potential to strike enemy vessels and ports.
The recent test in eastern waters was declared a response to the concluded U.S., South Korean, and Japanese naval drills. North Korea’s Defense Ministry stated, “Our army’s underwater nuke-based countering posture is being further rounded off, and its various maritime and underwater responsive actions will continue to deter hostile military maneuvers.”
The North strongly denounced the U.S. and its allies for threatening its security, issuing a stern warning of catastrophic consequences. Tensions on the Korean Peninsula have reached a critical point, with Kim accelerating weapons demonstrations and the U.S. and its Asian allies reinforcing military exercises.
Tensions, Underwater Drone