North Korea says leader Kim Jong Un supervised drills simulating preemptive attacks on South Korea

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This undated photo provided on Friday, May 31, 2024 by the North Korean government, shows what it says firing drills at an undisclosed place in North Korea. Independent journalists were not given access to cover the event depicted in this image distributed by the North Korean government. The content of this image is as provided and cannot be independently verified. Korean language watermark on image as provided by source reads: “KCNA” which is the abbreviation for Korean Central News Agency. (Korean Central News Agency/Korea News Service via AP)

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In this undated photo provided on Friday, May 31, 2024 by the North Korean government, North Korean leader Kim Jong Un supervises firing drills at an undisclosed place in North Korea. Independent journalists were not given access to cover the event depicted in this image distributed by the North Korean government. The content of this image is as provided and cannot be independently verified. Korean language watermark on image as provided by source reads: “KCNA” which is the abbreviation for Korean Central News Agency. (Korean Central News Agency/Korea News Service via AP)

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In this undated photo provided on Friday, May 31, 2024 by the North Korean government, North Korean leader Kim Jong Un, second left, supervises firing drills at an undisclosed place in North Korea. Independent journalists were not given access to cover the event depicted in this image distributed by the North Korean government. The content of this image is as provided and cannot be independently verified. Korean language watermark on image as provided by source reads: “KCNA” which is the abbreviation for Korean Central News Agency. (Korean Central News Agency/Korea News Service via AP)

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Visitors use binoculars to see the North Korean side from the unification observatory in Paju, South Korea, Thursday, May 30, 2024. North Korea on Thursday fired a barrage of suspected ballistic missiles toward its eastern sea, according to South Korea’s military, days after its attempt to launch a military reconnaissance satellite ended in failure but still drew strong condemnation from its rivals. (AP Photo/Lee Jin-man)

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A TV screen shows a report of North Korea’s multiple rocket launchers during a news program at the Seoul Railway Station in Seoul, South Korea, Friday, May 31, 2024. North Korean leader Kim Jong Un supervised firing drills involving nuclear-capable “super-large” multiple rocket launchers to show the country’s ability to carry out preemptive attacks on rival South Korea, state media reported Friday. The letters read “North, super-large multiple rocket and Kim Jong Un supervised.” (AP Photo/Lee Jin-man)

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A TV screen shows a report of North Korea’s multiple rocket launchers with an image of North Korean leader Kim Jong Un during a news program at the Seoul Railway Station in Seoul, South Korea, Friday, May 31, 2024. North Korean leader Kim Jong Un supervised firing drills involving nuclear-capable “super-large” multiple rocket launchers to show the country’s ability to carry out preemptive attacks on rival South Korea, state media reported Friday. (AP Photo/Lee Jin-man)

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By HYUNG-JIN KIM

SEOUL, South Korea (AP) — North Korean leader Kim Jong Un supervised drills involving the firing of nuclear-capable multiple rocket launchers to show the country’s ability to carry out a preemptive attack on rival South Korea, state media reported Friday.

North Korea has simulated nuclear strikes on South Korea numerous times, but the latest drills came after animosities on the Korean Peninsula rose over North Korea’s recent failed spy satellite launch.

The North’s official Korean Central News Agency reported that the rocket firing drills were meant to demonstrate North Korea’s resolve not to hesitate in launching a preemptive strike on South Korea if threatened. It cited Kim as saying that the drills “will serve as an occasion in clearly showing what consequences our rivals will face if they provoke us.”

Photos showed Kim watching from a distance as at least 18 projectiles were launched.

KCNA suggested the drills came as response to a South Korean aerial exercise performed hours before North Korea’s failed attempt to place its second spy satellite into orbit on Monday night.

The launch attempt drew strong condemnation from South Korea, the U.S. and others because the U.N. bans any satellite launches by North Korea, viewing them as covers for testing missile technologies. North Korea reacted angrily, arguing that it has the sovereign right to launch satellites.

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Also this week, North Korea flew hundreds of huge balloons into South Korea carrying manure and other trash, and allegedly jammed GPS navigation signals in the South. There were no reports of any substantial damage.

South Korea’s Unification Ministry responded in a statement Friday that North Korea must stop “absurd, irrational provocations directed at us” or face unspecified “unbearable” consequences. Ministry spokesperson Kim Inae said separately that South Korea “strongly condemns” North Korea for threatening preemptive strikes against the South.

Observers speculate the South Korean retaliatory steps could include a resumption of loudspeaker broadcasts into North Korea that include criticism of its human rights situation, world news and K-pop songs. North Korea is extremely sensitive to such broadcasts because most of its 26 million people are not allowed access to foreign TV and radio programs.

The North Korean firing exercises appeared to be short-range ballistic missile test-launches that South Korea detected from North Korea’s capital region on Thursday. Experts say North Korea’s large artillery rockets blur the boundary between artillery systems and short-range ballistic missiles because they can create their own thrust and are guided during delivery.

Since the start of 2022, North Korea has been engaged in a series of provocative weapons tests to increase its nuclear capabilities to cope with what it calls an intensifying U.S. military threat. Foreign experts say North Korea eventually aims to use its larger nuclear arsenal to wrest greater concessions from the U.S. when diplomacy resumes.

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Associated Press writer Kim Tong-hyung contributed to this report.

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Follow AP’s Asia-Pacific coverage at https://apnews.com/hub/asia-pacific

HYUNG-JIN KIM

Hyung-jin is an Associated Press reporter in Seoul, South Korea. He reports on security, political and other general news on the Korean Peninsula.