North Korea holds 'largest ever' drill marking military anniversary as US guided-missile submarine arrives in South Korea and analyst warns America 'could stumble needlessly' into war

  • The North marked military anniversary with massive firing drill on Tuesday 
  • Meanwhile, a US guided-missile submarine docked in South Korea officials said 
  • A government source says the exercise was the North's 'largest ever' 
  • It was also presumed to have been overseen by leader Kim Jong-Un, sources say
  • President Donald Trump said dictator Jong-Un isn't as strong as he claims to be
  • Trump blamed the international community for not doing more to rein him in 
  • Senior analyst, Jonathan Pollack, warned US 'could stumble needlessly' into war with North Korea

South Korea's military said Tuesday that North Korea held massive live-fire drills in an area around its eastern coastal town of Wonsan as it marked the anniversary of the founding of its military.

The exercise took place as a US guided-missile submarine arrived in South Korea and envoys from the US, Japan and South Korea met in Tokyo to discuss the growing threat posed by North Korea's nuclear weapons and missiles program. 

Speculation had mounted that the North could carry out a sixth nuclear test or another missile launch to mark 85 years since the founding of its army.

But no such event - which usually happens in the morning - had taken place by the evening, and instead Seoul's defense ministry said Pyongyang was conducting a 'massive fire drill' in the eastern port city of Wonsan.

The South's Yonhap news agency cited a government source as saying the exercise was the North's 'largest ever' and was presumed to have been overseen by leader Kim Jong-Un.

Meanwhile, a senior analyst warned that the back-and-forth threats between the US and North Korea could cause a needless stumble into war. 

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The USS Michigan (pictured), a nuclear-powered submarine, arrived at the South Korean port of Busan in what was described as a routine visit to rest the crew and load supplies. Cmdr Jang Wook from South Korean navy public affairs said there was no plan for a drill

The USS Michigan (pictured), a nuclear-powered submarine, arrived at the South Korean port of Busan in what was described as a routine visit to rest the crew and load supplies. Cmdr Jang Wook from South Korean navy public affairs said there was no plan for a drill

South Korea's military said Tuesday North Korea held live-fire drills in an area around its eastern coastal town of Wonsan as it marked the anniversary of the founding of its military. The exercise may have been the North's 'largest ever' and leader Kim Jong-Un oversaw it (pictured)
On Monday, President Donald Trump said dictator Jong-Un isn't as strong as he claims to be, and he blamed the international community for not doing more to rein him in. The 'status quo' on North Korea is 'unacceptable,' Trump told the UN Security Council at the White House

South Korea's military said Tuesday North Korea held live-fire drills in an area around its eastern coastal town of Wonsan as it marked the anniversary of the founding of its military. The exercise may have been the North's 'largest ever' and leader Kim Jong-Un oversaw it (left)

On Monday, President Donald Trump said dictator Jong-Un isn't as strong as he claims to be, and he blamed the international community for not doing more to rein him in. 

The 'status quo' on North Korea is 'unacceptable,' Trump told members of the United Nations Security Council at the White House. 

'The council must be prepared to impose additional and stronger sanctions,' Trump said.  

Senior analyst, Jonathan Pollack, at the Brookings Institution says the back-and-forth threats between the US and North Korea 'raises the stakes', according to CBS.

'We could stumble needlessly into what would be the biggest crisis in East Asia since the United States intervened in the Korean War in 1950,' Pollack warned. 

'The situation prevailing on the Korean Peninsula is so tense that a nuclear war may break out due to the frantic war drills of the US imperialists and their vassal forces for aggression,' Gen Pak Yong Sik told a meeting of thousands of senior military and civilian officials.

South Korea's Joint Chiefs of Staff said it was closely watching North Korean military action in the Wonsan city area, where it said the drills were being held. 

The exercise involved 300 to 400 artillery pieces, but an official from Seoul's Defense Ministry couldn't confirm the details.

Flower-laying and bowing at statues and portraits of the leaders is a regular routine on major anniversaries. People also gathered in open spaces to take part in organized dancing, another common way to mark holidays.

'Our great leaders founded and wisely led our revolutionary army, and just like that, now our respected Marshal Kim Jong-Un is leading wisely, so even though the situation is tense, we are celebrating the day,' said Choe Un Byol, who came with his family to the bronze statues of the former leaders.

Meanwhile, senior Koreas analyst, Jonathan Pollack, says the back-and-forth threats between the US and North Korea could cause the US to 'stumble needlessly' into war. A young girl celebrates the 85th anniversary of North Korea's military 

Meanwhile, senior Koreas analyst, Jonathan Pollack, says the back-and-forth threats between the US and North Korea could cause the US to 'stumble needlessly' into war. A young girl celebrates the 85th anniversary of North Korea's military 

North Korea often also marks significant dates by displaying its military capability. It launched a missile one day after the 105th birthday of late founder Kim Il Sung on April 15. People gathered in open spaces to take part in organized dancing (pictured

North Korea often also marks significant dates by displaying its military capability. It launched a missile one day after the 105th birthday of late founder Kim Il Sung on April 15. People gathered in open spaces to take part in organized dancing (pictured)

North Korea often also marks significant dates by displaying its military capability. It launched a missile one day after the 105th birthday of late founder Kim Il Sung on April 15.

Recent US commercial satellite images indicate increased activity around North Korea's nuclear test site, and third-generation dictator Jong-Un has said the country's preparation for an intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) launch is in its 'final stage'.

The USS Michigan, a nuclear-powered submarine, arrived at the South Korean port of Busan in what was described as a routine visit to rest the crew and load supplies. 

Cmdr Jang Wook from South Korean navy public affairs said there was no plan for a drill.

The submarine's arrival comes as the USS Carl Vinson aircraft carrier headed toward the Korean Peninsula for a joint exercise with South Korea. The US 7th Fleet said two American destroyers were conducting simultaneous maritime exercises with naval ships from South Korea and Japan. 

Nikki Haley, Trump's UN ambassador, said the US is not looking for a fight with Kim Jong-Un and would not attack the country 'unless he gives us reason to do something'. She also praised China's increased pressure on North Korea

Nikki Haley, Trump's UN ambassador, said the US is not looking for a fight with Kim Jong-Un and would not attack the country 'unless he gives us reason to do something'. She also praised China's increased pressure on North Korea

North Korea launched two missile tests this month while Trump and his senior aides have warned that "all options are on the table" against Pyongyang, including military action 

North Korea launched two missile tests this month while Trump and his senior aides have warned that 'all options are on the table' against Pyongyang, including military action 

Despite the buildup, Trump has reportedly settled on a strategy that emphasizes increased pressure on North Korea with the help of China, the North's only major ally, instead of military options or trying to overthrow North Korea's government.

Trump told the UN Security Council that they must be prepared to impose additional and stronger sanctions on North Korea.

'This is a real threat to the world, whether we want to talk about it or not,' Trump said Monday.

'North Korea is a big world problem, and it's a problem we have to finally solve. People have put blindfolds on for decades, and now it's time to solve the problem.'

Nikki Haley, Trump's UN ambassador, said the US is not looking for a fight with Kim and would not attack North Korea 'unless he gives us reason to do something'. She praised China's increased pressure on North Korea.

When asked about the threshold for US action, Haley told NBC that 'if you see him attack a military base, if you see some sort of intercontinental ballistic missile, then obviously we're going to do that'.

The USS Carl Vinson aircraft carrier (pictured) headed toward the Korean Peninsula for a joint exercise with South Korea

The USS Carl Vinson aircraft carrier (pictured) headed toward the Korean Peninsula for a joint exercise with South Korea

South Korean protesters staged a rally against US deployment of the USS Carl Vinson aircraft carrier and its battle group to the Korean Peninsula

South Korean protesters staged a rally against US deployment of the USS Carl Vinson aircraft carrier and its battle group to the Korean Peninsula

USS MICHIGAN: ONE OF THE LARGEST SUBS IN THE WORLD

The USS Michigan is the second Ohio-class nuclear-powered guided missile submarine in the US Navy.

The Michigan has a displacement of more than 18,000 tons when submerged and 16,000 tons when surfaced.

It is one of the largest submarines in the world and can travel at speeds of 29 miles per hour and can stay submerged for up to three months.

The submarine is equipped with about 150 Tomahawk missiles that hit targets that are up to 990 miles away, and can carry out a range of missions including anti-submarine warfare and reconnaissance.

The USS Michigan was last deployed to the peninsula in June 2015. 

It also boasts 24 missile tubes, four 21-inch torpedo tubes and an S8G Nuclear Reactor.

Source: Naval Technology  

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But asked what if North Korea tests an intercontinental missile or nuclear device, she said: 'I think then the president steps in and decides what's going to happen.'

The US, Japan and South Korea agreed Tuesday to put maximum pressure on North Korea, the South's envoy for North Korea said after meeting his American and Japanese counterparts in Tokyo.

'We agreed to warn North Korea to stop any additional strategic provocation and take intolerably strong punitive measures against Pyongyang if it goes ahead with such provocations,' Kim Hong-kyun told reporters following his meeting with Joseph Yun of the US and Japan's Kenji Kanasugi.

Kim said they discussed ways to get more cooperation from China and Russia, which they agreed is crucial to applying effective pressure on North Korea to abandon its nuclear weapons program. He said they also recognized China's recent steps toward that goal.

Japan's Foreign Ministry announced that China's envoy for North Korea, Wu Dawei, was arriving in Tokyo on Tuesday for talks with Kanasugi that may take place later this week.

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