North Korea Tests Missiles, Drones in Live-Fire Drill — SkimNews
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- North Korea held a 'joint firepower attack drill' on Sept 12 involving five army units, testing long-range artillery and missile units, per KCNA's Sept 14 report.
- KCNA reported the drill tested attack drones, tactical cruise missiles, tactical ballistic missiles, and large-calibre multiple rocket launchers.
- An artillery director cited by KCNA said the drill would boost troop morale and improve capabilities to 'completely collapse the enemy' on order.
- South Korea's Joint Chiefs of Staff confirmed on Sept 12 that North Korea fired several short-range ballistic missiles toward the sea off its east coast.
- South Korea, Japan, and the United States conducted a joint military exercise in response to the North Korean launches.
Why it matters: North Korea's drill showcased a diversified arsenal — drones alongside cruise and ballistic missiles — not just the short-range ballistic missiles South Korea's military confirmed, signaling an expanding weapons portfolio. The launches triggered an immediate trilateral US-South Korea-Japan exercise, continuing a provocation-to-response cycle with no diplomatic channel mentioned in the report.
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