North Korea: Recent missile tests meant as practice to strike South Korean, US targets

North Korea said Monday that its recent firing of more than 20 missiles was a test meant to practice striking South Korean and U.S. air bases, command systems and aircraft.

The General Staff of North Korea’s military said in a statement carried by state media that the ballistic missiles were tested for targeting enemy air bases, while ground-to-air missiles were meant to strike enemy aircraft.

Another ballistic missile with a special function warhead was tested to strike a command post.

“The recent corresponding military operations by the Korean People’s Army are a clear answer of [North Korea] that the more persistently the enemies’ provocative military moves continue, the more thoroughly and mercilessly the KPA will counter them,” the statement read.

North Korea fired the barrage of missiles, including intercontinental ballistic missiles, last week after the U.S. and South Korea conducted the fall Vigilant Storm air force drills, which North Korea has called a practice for an invasion.

The White House condemned the missile tests last week, calling it a “flagrant violation of multiple UN Security Council resolutions and needlessly raises tensions and risks destabilizing the security situation in the region.”

The U.S. has also recently accused North Korea of shipping munitions to Russia to aid its war in Ukraine.

On top of the spate of tests last week, North Korea has fired more than 23 missiles since January, a record for the country.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.