PREPARING FOR THE WORST A South Korean man wears a gas mask as he takes shelter during a civil defense drill against possible attacks by North Korea in Seoul on Wednesday. South Korea and the United States kicked off large-scale military exercises on Monday, triggering condemnation and threats of a pre-emptive nuclear strike from North Korea. AFP PHOTO
SEOUL: North Korea on Wednesday test-fired a submarine-launched missile 500 kilometers (around 300 miles) towards Japan, marking what weapons analysts described as a clear step forward for its nuclear strike ambitions.