As North Korea continues provocations this month, including launching long-range strategic cruise missiles, the Ministry of National Defense on the 29th called them "acts that undermine peace and stability."
Jeong Bit-na, Spokesperson of the Ministry of National Defense, said at a regular briefing that day that North Korea "revealed its intent to push ahead with strengthening its nuclear force," and stated accordingly. Jeong added, "North Korea should respond to the government's good-faith efforts to resume dialogue for peace and coexistence on the Korean Peninsula and join in maintaining a stable situation on the peninsula."
Jeong, the Spokesperson, added, "Our military will, while maintaining capabilities and a firm readiness posture, continue to support our government's efforts to ease military tensions and to establish peace on the Korean Peninsula."
On the 25th, North Korea criticized South Korea's plan to introduce nuclear-powered submarines and revealed that it had built an 8,700-ton nuclear-powered submarine. Also on the same day, through a statement by the defense ministry Spokesperson, it protested the U.S. nuclear submarine's entry into Busan, saying, "The United States' confrontational true intentions have once again been confirmed."
North Korea said it conducted a long-range strategic cruise missile launch drill around 8 a.m. on the 28th in the Sunan area of North Korea, with Kim Jong-un, chair of the State Affairs Commission, in attendance.