Escalation On Korean Peninsula: Why Kim Focusing On “Tactical Nuclear” Weapons?

North Korea announced on Friday that the missiles which were launched last night were "tactical nuclear" missiles, overseen by President Kim Jong-un and the test was in response to joint US-South Korean naval operations.

According to North Korea's official KCNA news agency, its military took "strong military countermeasures" in response to the "provocative" South Korean artillery fire and "sends a harsh warning to the South Korean military for creating military tension in the frontline area with irresponsible activity."

Kim expressed "great satisfaction" with the cruise missile tests, which had been deployed at units of the Korean People's Army for tactical nuke operations.

Kim said that the country's nuclear fighting forces were in "full readiness for actual battle," and that the tests served as another warning to the country's adversaries.

According to the report, North Korea is focusing on "continuing to expand the operating sphere of the nuclear weapons in order to decisively deter any critical military crisis and war catastrophe."

Although Pyongyang is not technically prohibited from conducting cruise missile tests by the UN, all other ballistic missile launches violate UN restrictions. 

At a party meeting in January 2021, Kim said that acquiring tactical nuclear weapons is a primary priority. Tactical weapons are designed for offensive or defensive use at relatively short range with relatively immediate consequences. He also committed to developing North Korea's nuclear capabilities as soon as possible.

However, officials in Seoul and Washington have warned that Pyongyang is preparing to conduct another nuclear test, the seventh and the first in five years.