North Korea touts ‘underwater nuclear weapons system’, blasts US drills

The United States, South Korea and Japan this week conducted naval drills involving nine warships, including the aircraft carrier USS Carl Vinson [File: South Korea's Joint Chiefs of Staff via AP]

North Korea has tested a nuclear-capable underwater attack drone in response to joint naval exercises involving South Korea, the United States and Japan, state media say.

Pyongyang tested the Haeil-5-23 in waters off the east coast as the US and its allies were “seriously threatening the security” of the country and “destabilising the regional situation”, North Korea’s Ministry of Defence said in a statement carried by the Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) on Friday.