Vocabs：

Drill：n. 训练；钻子 vi. 钻孔；训练

Anniversary：n. 周年纪念日

Solidify：vt. 团结；凝固 vi. 团结

Envoy：n. 使者；全权公使

Sanction：n. 制裁，处罚 vt. 鼓励

Artillery：n. 火炮；大炮；炮术

Blackmail：n. 勒索 vt. 胁迫

Precision：n. 精度；adj. 精密的

Miniaturise：vt. 使小型化

North Korea performs live-fire drill on military anniversary as US solidifies Peninsula presence

North Korea has conducted a large live-fire exercise to mark the foundation of its military, as a US submarine docked in South Korea in a show of force amid growing concern over the North's nuclear and missile programs.

The port call by the USS Michigan — a nuclear-powered submarine — came as a US aircraft carrier strike group steamed towards Korean waters and as top envoys for North Korea policy from South Korea, Japan and the United States met in Tokyo.

Fears have risen in recent weeks that North Korea would conduct another nuclear test or long-range missile launch in defiance of UN sanctions on its anniversary.

But instead of a nuclear test or big missile launch, North Korea deployed a large number of long-range artillery units in the region of Wonsan on its east coast for a live-fire drill, South Korea's military said.

North Korea could have a 10-kiloton weapon capable of striking the US west coast and killing 100,000 people within four years, according to a former CIA officer. 

North Korea has an air base in Wonsan and missiles have also been tested there.

"North Korea is conducting a large-scale firing drill in Wonsan areas this afternoon," the South's Office of Joint Chiefs of Staff said in a statement.

The South Korean military was monitoring the situation and "firmly maintaining readiness".

North Korea's state media was defiant in a commentary marking the 85th anniversary of the foundation of the Korean People's Army, and said its military was prepared "to bring to closure the history of US scheming and nuclear blackmail".

"There is no limit to the strike power of the People's Army armed with our style of cutting-edge military equipment, including various precision and miniaturised nuclear weapons, and submarine-launched ballistic missiles," the official Rodong Sinmun newspaper said in a front-page editorial.

Pyongyang launched a missile one day after the 105th birthday of late founder Kim Il-sung on April 15.