South Korea is to deploy surveillance aircraft Global Hawk by the end of December. File Photo courtesy of Northrop Grumman/UPI |
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Dec. 12 (UPI) -- South Korea's air force released a video of a simulated pre-emptive strike against North Korean weapons systems on Thursday, amid concerns Pyongyang could be preparing to launch an intercontinental ballistic missile.
The video from Seoul's military shows fictitious footage of the Global Hawk, a remotely piloted surveillance aircraft, detecting activity in North Korea, where the regime is seen setting up an ICBM on a mobile launch pad, South Korean television network JTBC reported Thursday.
The video then shows F-35A jet fighters being deployed. Their precision strike capabilities are depicted as being used against North Korea's Hwasong-14, a North Korean ICBM first tested on July 4, 2017.
A voiceover in the South Korea video says the "glory of victory is promised under any circumstances" in the event of a pre-emptive strike against the enemy.
The simulation is not real, but South Korea retains 13 F-35A fighter jets. Global Hawk will be deployed to Seoul's air force before the end of December.
Cho Se-young, head of public relations at South Korea's air force, said simulations have previously been issued. On Thursday the video was released amid fresh tensions following what North Korea claimed was a "very important test" of a rocket engine at Sohae satellite launch pad.
North Korea condemned the United States on Thursday for holding a United Nations Security Council meeting.
Pyongyang's foreign ministry called the meeting a platform for pressure building against the regime.
"We will never tolerate the United States for fostering the mood of pressure against North Korea by spearheading the U.N. Security Council public meeting that discussed our problem at such a sensitive time as right now," the North Korean statement read, according to Yonhap.
"The United States took a stupid act like hitting at its own foot with an ax by holding the meeting," the official added. "It has also given us decisive help in making up our mind clearly on which way we will take."
On Wednesday at the U.N., U.S. Ambassador Kelly Craft had warned ballistic missiles would not bring greater security for North Korea.
