Kim Jong-un oversees drills simulating ‘nuclear counter-attack’ along with his daughter

Images released of North Korean leader walking through a forest with his daughter Kim Ju-ae

Kim Jong-un and his daughter Kim Ju-ae watch a missile drill at an undisclosed location in this image released by North Korea’s Central News Agency on 20 March (via REUTERS)

Kim Jong-un led two days of military drills “simulating a nuclear counter-attack” on South Korea, according to North Korea’s state-run news agency KCNA.

The weekend exercises included the firing of a ballistic missile carrying a mock nuclear warhead. Mr Kim expressed “satisfaction” over the drills that were held to “let relevant units get familiar with the procedures and processes for implementing their tactical nuclear attack missions”.

A tactical ballistic missile launched from Cheolsan-gun in North Pyongan province was “accurately air-detonated at 800m above the target of the Korean East Sea, set at a range of 800km,” said the report, “once again verifying the reliability of the operation of the nuclear explosive control systems and detonators assembled in the nuclear combat department”.