Kim Jong-un confirms missile launch WAS nuclear strike dry run

Kim – the country's "Dear Leader" – claimed he personally oversaw the simulation – and boasted of waging a pre-emptive strike against the US.

It is feared the deranged dictator could strike the first blow – sparking a global war if China or Russia is dragged in.

North Korea's official propaganda wing released a statement, saying: "The drill was conducted by limiting the firing range under the simulated conditions of making preemptive strikes at ports and airfields in the operational theatre in South Korea where the US imperialists nuclear war hardware is to be hurled.

"And it once again examined the operational features of the detonating devices of nuclear warheads mounted on the ballistic rockets at the designated altitude over the target area."

The US military said it believed two of the missiles were Scuds and the other a Rodong – a home-grown missile based on Soviet-era Scud technology.

North Korea is believed to be developing nuclear warheads and is trying to make them smaller so it can mount them to ballistic missiles.

The missile launches were seen as a show of force rather than a test to improve missile capabilities, a week after South Korea and the United States chose a site in the South to deploy the Terminal High Altitude Area Defence – known as "THAAD" – anti-missile system to counter threats from the North.

North Korea has threatened a "physical response" to the move.

China has objected to the decision saying it would destabilise the security balance in the region.

(dailystar.co.uk)