Recent North Korean Missile Launches Were 'Tactical Nuclear' Tests

North Korean state media said Monday that the hermit communist state's seven recent missle launches were all "tactical nuclear drills" overseen by Kim Jong-un.

KCNA reported that the recent missile tests were a response to the joint drills of the US, South Korea and Japan and “an obvious warning” of its nuclear capabilities.

“This is the verification of the operation posture of our war deterrent and, at the same time, an occasion that proved the reliability of the thorough preparedness of the state nuclear defense posture, and an obvious warning and clear demonstration of informing the enemies of our nuclear response posture and nuclear attack capabilities,” Kim said, as quoted by KCNA.

From Sept. 25 to Oct. 9, several members of the Korean People’s Army were involved in the operations of “tactical nukes staged military drills” as part of the process of checking and assessing the nuclear weapons and its counterattack capabilities, KCNA said.

It added that Kim, general secretary of the Workers' Party of Korea and chairman of its Central Military Commission, guided the military drills "on the spot."

Agence France-Presse reported that Kim created an outline for a five-year defense development plan in January 2021, with a goal to develop smaller and lighter nuclear weapons for “more tactical use.”

Several ballistic missiles have hovered above South Korea and Japan over the past weeks which prompted Seoul, Tokyo and Washington to ramp up naval forces in recent weeks.

This enranged Pyongyang as it sees it as a rehearsal for a potential invasion, which it used as justification for the missile launches which it described as a necessary counterdefense.

According to experts and analysts, the intermediate-range ballistic missile launch that Japan saw last week is an indication that Pyongyang has completed its rigorous process of preparations for another nuclear test.

The seven recent missile drills showed the “actuality of the nuclear combat forces of the state and its militant effectiveness and actual war capabilities,” which means that the tactical weapons are fully ready, KCNA said.