January 22, 2026Jan 22, 2026
KCNA Pyongyang Times

Important weapon test and firing drill for strategic aim conducted

Date: 24/03/2023 | Source: Pyongyang Times | Read original version at source

The intentional, persistent and provocative war drills and confrontational stance of the US imperialists and the south Korean puppet regime of traitors have driven the military and political situation of the Korean peninsula to an irreversibly dangerous point.

The reckless and dangerous nature of the confrontational hysteria recently betrayed by the US imperialists and the south Korean puppet regime of traitors is unprecedented in history.

The US imperialists and their stooges kicked off a dangerous large-scale drill, an actual drill for "occupying" the DPRK in the light of form and content, in defiance of the repeated stern warnings by the DPRK government, army and people. It is expected that the US imperialists and their stooges will get more frantic in their persistent military provocations to aggravate the situation as ever with a more aggressive stand of confrontation.

This grave challenging situation against the state security of the DPRK requires it to have stronger war deterrents for firmly supporting the peaceful socialist state building activities--the more developed, multi-faceted and offensive nuclear attack capability--and increase its capability in every way in order to deter war and firmly preserve peace and prosperity with its tremendous might.

The hostile forces' anti-DPRK war scenario based on the deployment of huge nuclear strategic assets, the amount of forces involved in carrying it out and the peculiarity of the ensuing mode of war urgently require the DPRK to make its entire armed forces gird themselves for an all-out war and bolster up its nuclear force both in quality and quantity on a priority basis.

The Central Military Commission of the Workers' Party of Korea is energetically guiding the continuous military activities to bolster up its nuclear war deterrent for self-defence in order to strengthen the country's defence posture in every way and promptly counter and thoroughly control and manage any nuclear war threats and challenges by the enemy.

After organizing and guiding a combined tactical drill simulating a nuclear counterattack, the WPK Central Military Commission commanded drills from March 21 to 23, which served as a demonstration of another military attack capability, in order to alert the enemy to an actual nuclear crisis and verify the reliability of the nuclear force for self-defence.

The respected Comrade Kim Jong Un guided the important military activities.

A new underwater attack weapon system test was conducted from March 21 to 23.

Since 2012, the DPRK's defence science research institute has conducted the development of the underwater nuclear strategic attack weapon system based on a new operational concept, studying warfare in the new era and defining the orientation of the development of the self-defence capabilities to outpace the military and technical superiority of the imperialist aggressor forces.

The Political Bureau of the WPK Central Committee was informally reported about the underwater strategic nuclear weapon system at the Defence Development Exhibition Self-Defence-2021 held in October 2021.

This secret weapon was named "Unmanned Underwater Nuclear Attack Craft 'Haeil'" at the Eighth Congress of the WPK. It has undergone more than 50 shakedowns for the past two years since the Congress.

Kim Jong Un personally guided 29 weapon tests and its operational deployment was decided at the Sixth Plenary Meeting of the Eighth Central Committee of the WPK.

The mission of the underwater nuclear strategic weapon is to stealthily infiltrate into operational waters and make a super-scale radioactive tsunami through underwater explosion to destroy warship groups and major operational ports of the enemy.

This nuclear underwater attack drone can be deployed at any coast and port or towed by a surface ship for operation.

The underwater nuclear attack drone, which was deployed for a drill off the coast of Riwon County of South Hamgyong Province on Tuesday, reached the target point in the waters off Hongwon Bay set as a mock enemy port with its test warhead detonating underwater on Thursday afternoon after cruising along an oval and pattern-8 course at an underwater depth of 80 to 150 meters in the East Sea of Korea for 59 hours and 12 minutes.

The test correctly estimated all the tactical and technical specifications and navigational and technical indices of the underwater nuclear attack drone, verified its reliability and safety and fully confirmed its lethal strike capability.

On March 22 there took place a launching drill to let strategic cruise missile units get familiar with the procedures and processes for carrying out the tactical nuclear attack missions.

Prior to the drill, there was training to reexamine the operational normality and the systematic safety of technical and mechanical devices, including the procedures for authenticating the nuclear attack order and the launch approval system, and to let the strategic cruise missile sub-units get familiar with action methods and handling of equipment through repeated practice.

The strategic cruise missile was tipped with a test warhead simulating a nuclear warhead.

Two "Hwasal-1"-type strategic cruise missiles and two "Hwasal-2"-type strategic cruise missiles, launched in Jakto-dong, Hungnam District, Hamhung City, South Hamgyong Province, accurately hit the targets set in the East Sea of Korea after flying on their programmed 1 500km- and 1 800km-long oval and pattern-8 orbits for 7 557 to 7 567 seconds and 9 118 to 9 129 seconds respectively.

The drill also involved the cruise missiles' minimum-altitude flight test and the test for estimating their capability for ever-changing-altitude control and evasion flight.

The drill also verified once again the operational reliability of nuclear explosion control devices and detonators by applying the mid-air-explosion (600 meters above the target) strike mode to two different missiles.

The major weapon test and launching drills had no negative impact on the security of neighbouring countries.

The respected Comrade Kim Jong Un was greatly satisfied with the results of the major weapon test and the launching drill for a strategic purpose.

Underlining the need to neutralize every attempt of the enemy to invade the DPRK and creditably defend our people's peaceful life and future and the cause of socialist construction by more overwhelmingly and offensively countering to the end the reckless military provocations being escalated by the US and the south Korean authorities in disregard of our patience and warning, he set forth the immediate militant tasks and permanent policies for doing so.

Bitterly criticizing the US imperialists for desperately resorting to military moves imperiling the regional situation under the pretense of fulfilling their commitment to defending allies and under various pretexts of tightening alliance, encouraging the misguided imprudence and "bravery" of the south Korean puppet regime of traitors and inciting them to impudent actions, he referred to the need to take offensive actions to make the enemy inviting the danger with thoughtless and reckless acts realize the DPRK's unlimited nuclear war deterrent capability being bolstered up at a greater speed.

He expressed his will to make the US imperialists and the south Korean puppet regime plunge into despair for their choice through the high-profile demonstration of the powerful war deterrent and make them understand by themselves that they are bound to lose more than they get and face a greater threat due to the strengthening of the military alliance and the expansion of war drills in the region.

He, on behalf of the Workers' Party of Korea and the DPRK government, seriously warned once again the enemies that they should stop the reckless anti-DPRK war drills.

The nuclear force of the DPRK will further enhance its responsible militant function and mission with its more destructive might to thoroughly shatter the war maniacs' confrontational wild dream and bolster up its overwhelming nuclear counteraction posture in every way, true to the expectations and desire of the Party, government and people of the DPRK for deterring war and preserving peace and stability.

More From Pyongyang Times

Medvedev ridicules US’ attempt to seize Greenland

Medvedev ridicules US’ attempt to seize Greenland

Dmitri Medvedev, vice-chairman of the Security Council of Russia, posted an article on an SNS on January 12 to deride the US’ atte

January 21, 2026

Dmitri Medvedev, vice-chairman of the Security Council of Russia, posted an article on an SNS on January 12 to deride the US’ atte

Russia decides to deport British diplomat

Russia decides to deport British diplomat

Russia decided to deport a diplomat of the British embassy in the country. On January 15, the Russian Foreign Ministry called the

January 21, 2026

Russia decided to deport a diplomat of the British embassy in the country. On January 15, the Russian Foreign Ministry called the

New houses built at farms in Kangwon Province

New houses built at farms in Kangwon Province

Spectacular scenes of rural development have unfolded at several farms in Kangwon Province. Newly-built public and production

January 21, 2026

Spectacular scenes of rural development have unfolded at several farms in Kangwon Province. Newly-built public and production

Academy of Forest Science inaugurated

Academy of Forest Science inaugurated

The Academy of Forest Science has been built on a modern basis. The academy has all facilities and conditions, including an office

January 21, 2026

The Academy of Forest Science has been built on a modern basis. The academy has all facilities and conditions, including an office

New history of socialist rural construction (1)

New history of socialist rural construction (1)

Over the past five years since the Eighth Congress of the Workers’ Party of Korea, a new era of overall development has been

January 21, 2026

Over the past five years since the Eighth Congress of the Workers’ Party of Korea, a new era of overall development has been

Croaker pedigree farm inaugurated

Croaker pedigree farm inaugurated

A croaker pedigree farm has been built at the Ongjin West Sea Fish Farm. The pedigree farm has an office building, welfare

January 21, 2026

A croaker pedigree farm has been built at the Ongjin West Sea Fish Farm. The pedigree farm has an office building, welfare

WPK Central Committee sends congratulations to 14th Congress of CPV

WPK Central Committee sends congratulations to 14th Congress of CPV

The Central Committee of the Workers' Party of Korea sent a congratulatory message to the 14th Congress of the Communist Party of

January 21, 2026

The Central Committee of the Workers' Party of Korea sent a congratulatory message to the 14th Congress of the Communist Party of

Mexican president rejects subordination to other countries

Mexican president rejects subordination to other countries

The Mexican President said in a press conference on January 13 that her country would maintain a foreign policy based on equality

January 20, 2026

The Mexican President said in a press conference on January 13 that her country would maintain a foreign policy based on equality

New houses built in South Phyongan Province

New houses built in South Phyongan Province

The ideal socialist villages indicative of the Korean-style civilization of the countryside sprang up at the Chollisong Farm in

January 20, 2026

The ideal socialist villages indicative of the Korean-style civilization of the countryside sprang up at the Chollisong Farm in

Inauguration season

Inauguration season

At the end of last year, the Korean people greeted the second inauguration season in implementing the Regional Development 20×10

January 20, 2026

At the end of last year, the Korean people greeted the second inauguration season in implementing the Regional Development 20×10

Greenland states US’ annexation ambition is intolerable

Greenland states US’ annexation ambition is intolerable

The authorities of Greenland issued a statement on January 12 to reject the US' attempt to annex Greenland.As regards the fact tha

January 19, 2026

The authorities of Greenland issued a statement on January 12 to reject the US' attempt to annex Greenland.As regards the fact tha

Independence, lifeblood of countries and nations

Independence, lifeblood of countries and nations

Today, when the moves of the forces trying to realize their ambition for world domination are getting ever more undisguised,

January 19, 2026

Today, when the moves of the forces trying to realize their ambition for world domination are getting ever more undisguised,

Respected Comrade Kim Jong Un sends birthday spreads to centenarians

Respected Comrade Kim Jong Un sends birthday spreads to centenarians

The respected Comrade Kim Jong Un sent birthday spreads to Kim Sun Han, a woman centenarian living in Neighbourhood Unit No. 49,

January 19, 2026

The respected Comrade Kim Jong Un sent birthday spreads to Kim Sun Han, a woman centenarian living in Neighbourhood Unit No. 49,

New houses built in Nampho

New houses built in Nampho

Modern houses, symbolic of the era of the Workers' Party, have been built at the Usan Cotton Farm in Hanggu District and the

January 19, 2026

Modern houses, symbolic of the era of the Workers' Party, have been built at the Usan Cotton Farm in Hanggu District and the

Atlantic salmon pedigree farm inaugurated in North Hamgyong Province

Atlantic salmon pedigree farm inaugurated in North Hamgyong Province

The Jikha Atlantic Salmon Pedigree Farm was inaugurated in North Hamgyong Province. The construction of the pedigree farm with all

January 19, 2026

The Jikha Atlantic Salmon Pedigree Farm was inaugurated in North Hamgyong Province. The construction of the pedigree farm with all

Island of science gives vibrancy to whole country

Island of science gives vibrancy to whole country

On New Year’s Day ten years ago, the inauguration ceremony of the Sci-Tech Complex was held in splendour in the presence of the

January 19, 2026

On New Year’s Day ten years ago, the inauguration ceremony of the Sci-Tech Complex was held in splendour in the presence of the

More Articles