North Korea launches missiles from submarine as US-South Korea drills begin

KRT on Monday released five still photographs of the missile launch from a submarine, adding that it tested the underwater offensive operations of submarine units that form part of North Korea's nuclear deterrent and the launch confirmed the reliability of the system.

South Korea's Joint Chiefs of Staff said the military was on high alert and the country's intelligence agency was working with its US counterpart to analyse the specifics of the launch.

On Monday, South Korean and American troops were scheduled to begin 11 days of joint drills, dubbed "Freedom Shield 23," which will be held on a scale not seen since 2017. North Korea has long bristled over drills they regard as a rehearsal for invasion.

Seoul mayor wants South Korea to develop own nuclear weapons amid North's threat

South Korea should build its own nuclear weapons to bolster its defences against the North, even if it risks international repercussions, the mayor of Seoul said, adding that the country can no longer be bound by the goal of denuclearisation.

In an exclusive interview with Reuters, Seoul Mayor Oh Se-hoon rekindled the debate over whether South Korea should arm itself with nuclear weapons at a time when the North is racing to perfect its capability to strike the South with tactical nuclear weapons.

Oh said the Ukraine crisis has only cemented his conviction that the goal of denuclearisation on the peninsula has lost its appeal and developing nuclear weapons would be the most effective deterrent against the North.

"Russia would freely violate Ukraine's airspace, flying bombers and firing missiles and multiple launchers, but Ukraine barely attacks Russian territory because of the psychological inferiority to a nuclear state," Oh said.

"Now that North Korea has nearly succeeded in miniaturising and making lighter tactical nuclear weapons and secured at least dozens of warheads," Oh said. "We've come to a point where it is difficult to convince people of the rationale that we should refrain from developing nuclear weapons and stick to the cause of denuclearisation."

He ditched opponents who warned of punishments from other countries, including sanctions, saying a South Korean nuclear programme would send a message to countries like China to curb the North's armament.

A growing list of politicians and scholars has joined those advocating for South Korea's own nuclear armament, including Oh who raised the issue before in February. But his latest comments are his strongest yet.

Oh is an influential member of President Yoon Suk Yeol's conservative People Power Party and as mayor of the capital, he oversees its annual civil defence drills aimed at protecting the greater Seoul area, home to nearly half of the country's 51 million population.

A former lawyer and lawmaker, Oh has also emerged as a promising presidential candidate in the 2027 election, after becoming the first mayor of Seoul to serve a fourth term last year.

The government of President Yoon has said it remains committed to denuclearisation and would reinforce combined defences with the US, but surveys show unprecedented levels of public support for the once-unthinkable idea.

In a poll released on March 1 by Data Research, more than 70% of South Koreans supported developing nuclear weapons with 27% opposed; 59% believed North Korea would probably use nuclear weapons if war broke out on the peninsula.

Oh also revealed his intent to bid to host the city's second Olympics in 2036, following its 1988 success, but not as joint hosts with Pyongyang which his predecessor pursued the 2032 Games before Brisbane was chosen.

"I think the strategy for 2032 was doomed to fail because of unpredictable inter-Korean relations," he said. "We would compete for 2036 ourselves but remain flexible so that we can hold a few games in the Demilitarised Zone or Pyongyang if relations are good enough around that time."

Reuters