[Yonhap Photo]
North Korean leader Kim Jong-un has praised the accuracy of ballistic missiles mounted with nuclear warheads in a simulated attack on South Korean ports and airfields to be used for the arrival of US military equipment.
Pyongyang's state media released Kim's comment and pictures Wednesday, a day after three missiles were launched in what Seoul officials called an exercise targeting the controversial deployment of a US missile shield in South Korea.
[Yonhap Photo]
The South's defense ministry said two North Korean missiles fell into the Sea of Japan (East Sea) Tuesday after flying up to 600 kilometers (372 miles) while the trajectory of a third one has not been confirmed.
[Yonhap Photo]
The firing range of missiles was limited "under the simulated conditions of making pre-emptive strikes at ports and airfields in the operational theater in South Korea, where the US imperialists' nuclear war hardware is to be hurled", according to Pyongyang's official the Korean Central News Agency (KCNA).
The drill was aimed at examining the "operational features" of detonators for nuclear warheads mounted on ballistic missiles at a designated altitude, it said, adding Kim described them as "precise and accurate".
[Yonhap Photo]
A North Korean photo showed a large map covering a desk that displayed the flight path from the launch site to designated targets in South Korea's southern ports of Ulsan and Busan, which have been used by US troops to bring in troops and equipment.
Pyongyang threatened to take physical action after US and South Korean troops announced an agreement on July 8 to push ahead with the deployment of the Terminal High Altitude Area Defense system aimed at intercepting North Korean missiles.
Aju News Lim Chang-won = cwlim34@ajunews.com
reporter
Park Sae-jin
swatchsjp@ajunews.com
