North Korea Claims Live-Fire Drill Showed 'Huge Destructive Power'

North Korea claimed on Monday that a joint live-fire drill conducted on Saturday demonstrated "huge destructive power" through the coordinated use of missiles, artillery, and drones. The exercise, described by state media as a "firepower attack drill," involved five army units and tested a range of weapons systems, including attack drones, tactical cruise missiles, tactical ballistic missiles, and large-caliber multiple rocket launchers. South Korea's military confirmed it detected the launches, stating that several short-range ballistic missiles were fired from the Wonsan area on Saturday morning. The missiles flew approximately 250 kilometers toward North Korea's eastern waters, a flight distance that indicates the weapons are designed to strike targets within South Korea. The drill marked North Korea's first public ballistic missile launch in about three weeks. According to the Korean Central News Agency, the exercise was intended to familiarize troops with procedures for operating an "integrated firepower control system.