Korea

North Korea reportedly holds live-fire drill as US nuclear-powered sub approaches

North Korea on Tuesday reportedly conducted a huge live-fire drill that involved up to 400 artillery pieces, which may have been supervised by the country’s leader, Kim Jong Un, as the U.S. added a nuclear-powered submarine to its fleet of vessels powering toward the region.

Pyongyang apparently deployed long-range artillery units in the coastal region of Wonsan, an unnamed government source told South Korea’s Yonhap news agency. South Korea’s military did not confirm the report, but told the news outlet it was “firmly maintaining readiness.”

There was speculation that the North might carry out another nuclear or missile test.

News of the live-fire drill came after the USS Michigan, the nuclear-powered powered Ohio class submarine, pulled into the South Korean port of Busan for a hull check.