Ahead of US-South Korea training Drills, North Korea tests its missiles from submarines.

North Korea conducted a test of a missile that was launched from a submarine, Seoul Confirmed.

Image: Thehindu.com

Only hours before the start of the biggest joint military drills between the US and South Korea in five years, North Korea launched two strategic cruise missiles from a submarine as a show of force.

The tests, announced by state media on Monday, came days after leader Kim Jong Un oversaw a succession of missile launches and ordered his army to strengthen efforts to oppose its adversaries' "frantic war preparation actions".

The official Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) said the missile launches underlined Pyongyong's willingness to respond with "overwhelming powerful forces" to so-called military maneuvers by the "the US imperialists and the South Korean puppet forces".

Also, KCNA hinted that North Korea intends to equip its tested cruise missiles with nuclear warheads. Pyongyang claims its nuclear weapons and missile programs are required for self-defense and sees military drills between the US and South Korea as a practice for an invasion.

In support of ongoing diplomatic efforts to secure North Korea's denuclearization, the military of the US and South Korea resumed their "Freedom Shield" exercises early on Monday. This is the first time such extensive drills have been undertaken since they were interrupted in 2018.

The most recent drills consist of a computer simulation called Freedom Shield 23 and several mixed-field training drills dubbed Warrior Shield FTX.

According to the South Korean and US armed services, the drills, which are expected to last at least 10 days, would concentrate on the "changing security environment" in light of North Korea's growing nuclear threats.

In 2022, North Korea performed a record number of missile launches and changed its nuclear doctrine to be more aggressive.

But, a few analysts expressed caution amid the bluster.

Leif-Eric Easley, a professor at Ewha University in Seoul, stated in comments supplied through email that cruise missiles fired from a submarine by North Korea pose a threat that the United States and its allies must take seriously.

Yet when Pyongyang asserts that it has already equipped such rockets with nuclear bombs, it is probably exaggerating. The Kim government wants to demonstrate that its military prowess is on par with or superior to that of the South Korea-U.S. defense drills. Despite this, North Korean soldiers are underfed and are required to assist farmers in addressing the nation's food shortfall.

According to the official news agency, in the most recent testing, the missiles soared for more than two hours over the waters off the country's eastern coast, sketching figure-eight patterns before striking targets 1,500km (932 miles) away.

According to KCNA, the missiles were launched from the submarine known as the 8.24 Yongung, which North Korea has used for all of its known submarine-launched ballistic missile tests since 2016.

Earlier, the military of South Korea claimed to have discovered a submarine launch on Sunday in waters close to the country's eastern shore at Sinpo. A significant shipyard for producing submarines is located in the North Korean port city.

According to experts, Kim is attempting to exert pressure on the US to lift the international sanctions that are harming North Korea's economy and recognize it as a legitimate nuclear power.

Chun In-bum, a retired South Korean army general, told the AFP news agency that North Korea would exploit the Freedom Shield 2023 Drill to bring its people together and as justification for increasing its investment in WMDs.

Even with a nuclear test, more missile launches with different styles and ranges should be anticipated. It should not be shocking if North Korea continues to intimidate.

Using the "whole spectrum of its military capabilities, including nuclear," Washington has repeatedly reaffirmed its "ironclad" commitment to defending South Korea.