North Korea’s missile test on Monday was in fact a drill to test nuclear force preparedness, according to local media.

The incident raised alarms around the region after several short-range ballistic missiles were launched near Pyongyang and flew approximately 185 miles before falling in the waters between the Korean Peninsula and Japan.

The drill’s main purpose, however, was to "demonstrate the reliability, superiority, might and diverse means" of the country’s nuclear forces and the Haekbangashoe system that serves as "a clear warning signal to the enemies" of North Korea, according to the Pyongyang Times.

The Haekbangashoe system, which means "nuclear trigger," included the maneuver of troops into a "counterattack posture" that aimed at "substantially strengthening the prompt counterattack capacity of the state nuclear force."

North Korea launched missiles from at least four launch vehicles that delivered a single firing salvo against an island within a 220-mile range, the U.S. Naval Institute reported.

North Korean leader Kim Jong Un reportedly oversaw the drill, which occurred as the U.S. and South Korea started a combined joint formation drill at Kunsan Air Base, which commenced on April 12 and is expected to end April 26. He reportedly likened the weapon system to "the firing of a sniper’s rifle."

South Korea’s Joint Chiefs of Staff claimed that any reports of such accuracy or capabilities of its weapons system were likely exaggerated, and that South Korea’s military could detect and intercept any weapons.

To combat North Korea’s aggressive pursuit of nuclear preparedness, Washington, Tokyo and Seoul agreed to a system of real-time missile data-sharing, which would allow the three countries to monitor Pyongyang’s launches, according to Newsweek.

U.S. Indo-Pacific Command said the launch "does not pose an immediate threat to U.S. personnel or territory, or to our allies," stressing instead the "destabilizing impact of the DPRK’s illicit weapons program."

Local media accused the two allies of inciting "war fever" in the region that was a "confrontation racket" against the hermit kingdom "with extremely provocative and aggressive nature."

"The event will highlight the ROK-U.S. Alliance by demonstrating lethality in the air domain, and enhancing its ability to deter, defend, and defeat any adversary," the United States Air Force said in a press release.

US INTENDS TO MONITOR NORTH KOREAN NUCLEAR WEAPONS WITH OR WITHOUT UN, AMBASSADOR SAYS

Japan’s Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshimasa Hayashi told reporters that North Korea launched at least one ballistic missile that flew 155 miles at a maximum altitude of about 30 miles. He also said the missile tests threaten the peace and safety of Japan, the region and the international community.

North Korea in 2022 declared itself an "irreversible" nuclear weapons state and adopted a doctrine that authorizes the military to launch preemptive nuclear strike if the country’s leadership determines it is under threat, according to the Arms Control Association.

Kim declared that he would never give up any nuclear weapons or negotiate any denuclearization, confirming suspicions that many experts and leaders had held for years.

North Korea conducts first nuclear counterattack simulation drills

North Korea has conducted its first nuclear counterattack simulation drill to demonstrate its management system, led by leader Kim Jong Un, local news reported.

According to a report by North Korea’s official Korean Central News Agency (KCNA), North Korea carried out the drill as part of a test of the country’s counterattack capabilities.

The drill’s main purpose was to demonstrate the “reliability, superiority, might and diverse means” of the country’s nuclear power and to send a “clear warning signal” to enemies as the U.S. and South Korea strengthen ties.

North Korea fired three short-range ballistic missiles Monday into the sea off its eastern coast. It was detected by South Korean and Japanese militaries, The Associated Press reported.

The rockets flew about 185 miles before crashing in the waters between the Korean Peninsula and Japan, suggesting the weapons could hit sites in South Korea, officials said.

South Korea’s Joint Chiefs of Staff spokesperson, Lee Sung Joon, said it remains unclear if North Korea had perfected designs for small nuclear weapons that could fit on top of its rockets. He said North Korea was likely exaggerating its capabilities, and South Korea would be able to detect and intercept the north’s rocket launcher systems.

The AP noted that analysts say North Korea’s rockets blur the line between artillery systems and ballistic missiles because they create their own thrust and are guided during the delivery.

Photos showed Kim watching the rockets’ launch from an observation post. Kim expressed “great satisfaction” with the drill’s result, the local outlet reported.

The rockets can quickly switch over into a nuclear counterattack mode and its capabilities “were mastered,” the KCNA reported.

Kim said the country’s rocket launching capabilities have remarkably increased, and he is confident that the nuclear forces can “carry out their mission of deterring a war and taking an initiative in a war at any time and in any sudden situation.”

His comments reflect the country’s nuclear doctrine, which allows the military to launch preemptive nuclear strikes if it believes leadership is under a threat, the AP reported.