According to information published by state media, North Korea says it has tested an “underwater nuclear weapons system” in response to joint military exercises between the US, South Korea and Japan, the BBC reports.

According to News.ro, the tests of the “Haeil-5-23”, the name North Korea has given to its underwater attack drones capable of carrying nuclear weapons, took place in the waters off its east coast.

The purpose of the tests is to “deter hostile military maneuvers by the US Navy and its allies,” a spokesman for Pyongyang’s Ministry of National Defense said.

Pyongyang has carried out similar tests in the past, but the latest took place against the backdrop of North Korea’s escalating rhetoric.

North Korea has repeatedly said it is building up its military arsenal in preparation for a war that could “break out at any time” on the peninsula.

Its leader, Kim Jong-un, announced this week that the goal of reunification was complete and called South Korea his “main enemy.”

His remarks also came after several continued advances in the country’s military and nuclear capabilities, including its underwater operations.

Last September, North Korea unveiled its first submarine capable of launching nuclear weapons.

Since March 2023, it has also announced the testing of its Haeil system – underwater drones with nuclear weapons.

Little is known about the weapon or its intended performance, but analysts say it is a less important weapon than North Korea’s nuclear-powered ballistic missiles.