On Monday, March 13, South Korea and the United States commenced joint military exercises, which was interpreted by North Korea as a rehearsal for an invasion. In response, North Korea announced that it had begun testing submarine-launched missiles.

There will be 11 days of joint US and South Korean drills, and on Sunday, March 12, North Korea launched missiles from a submarine, indicating that it will also be conducting its own testing.

The Freedom Shield 23 and Warrior Shield FTX joint field exercises will be simulated on computers as part of the US-South Korea exercises.

The goal of the simulation is to improve South Korea’s defenses and ability to respond to North Korea’s growing nuclear threat.

The US military issued a statement saying the joint exercises were designed to improve space, air, sea, land, special operations, and cyber cooperation between the US and South Korea. Military strategy, practice, and procedure should all benefit from the exercises.

North Korea claimed on Sunday that it had launched two cruise missiles from a submarine in retaliation for military exercises by the US and their “puppet forces” in South Korea.

North Korea’s news agency, Korean Central News, claimed that the missiles were strategic and that their launches demonstrated the North’s “nuclear war deterrence,” implying that the North intends to equip the cruise missiles with nuclear weapons.

According to reports, the cruise missiles demonstrated their capabilities by flying for over two hours and striking targets more than 900 miles away.

In addition to giving North Korea the ability to launch retaliatory strikes, submarine-launched missile systems make it more difficult for targets to detect the country’s missile launches.

The North Korean cruise missiles were the first missiles to be launched by the country from a submarine.  Previous tests included ballistic missiles.  

To counter North Korean submarine threats, South Korea has been trying to modernize its military.

Experts believe Kim Jong Un, leader of North Korea, is attempting to push the United States to recognize North Korea as a legitimate nuclear power, in order to have economic sanctions against North Korea eased.