North Korea tests underwater nuclear-capable attack drone

North Korea has tested a new underwater nuclear-capable attack drone, according to Al Jazeera, citing the country’s main news agency KCNA. Importantly, the drone flew continuously underwater for 59 hours before being destroyed as part of a rehearsal to scare US and South Korean armed personnel.

The North Korean military deployed and tested the new weapons system this week during a military rehearsal commanded by Kim Jong Un, with the goal of assessing if it could generate a lethal blast and wave on a “super-scale.” According to KCNA, “This nuclear underwater assault drone may be launched at any coast and port or operated while being towed by a surface ship.”

According to multiple media reports, Pyongyang’s nuclear-capable underwater attack drone can also unleash a “radioactive Tsunami.” As part of the experiment, the drone was dropped into the ocean near South Hamgyong province on Tuesday and drifted for 59 hours and 12 minutes at a depth of about 80 to 150 metres (260 to 490 feet) before exploding on Thursday in the waters off the province’s east coast.

Nevertheless, the South Korean news agency, Yonhap stated that the drone’s ultimate target site was a pretend enemy port built up in the seas of Hongwon Bay, Al Jazeera said quoting the media source.

The drone exercise comes as a US B-1B strategic bomber returned to South Korea on Sunday to participate in the joint military exercise, just 16 days after its previous deployment, as Pyongyang fired another ballistic missile into the East Sea, according to Yonhap news agency, citing the defence ministry.

The drills took held in skies above the Korean Peninsula as part of the Freedom Sheild exercise that has been underway since March 13. The drills also include F-35A stealth fighter jets of South Korea and US F-16 fighters, according to the ministry.

According to Yonhap, a B-1B bomber was previously sent to the peninsula on March 3. The deployment considered as a show of force against North Korea as Pyongyang fired a short-range ballistic missile towards the East Sea. North Korea fired the short-range ballistic missile three days after Pyongyang test-fired a Hwasong-17 intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) (ICBM).