The report comes amid speculation that North Korea could soon resume nuclear tests, according to South Korean and US officials, after Kim broke the moratorium he imposed on intercontinental ballistic missile tests (ICBM) last month. The South Korean military said Sunday it had spotted two missiles fired late Saturday from the north-east coast into the sea, which flew about 110 kilometers (68 miles) with a maximum speed of 25 kilometers and a top speed of less than 4 Mach. Sign up now for FREE unlimited access to Reuters.com Register “The new-type tactical weapons system … is of great importance for drastically improving the firepower of long-range artillery units and enhancing the efficiency of tactical nuclear weapons operations,” the KCNA said. The KCNA did not say when the test took place and did not provide details about the missile involved. Guiding the test, Kim “gave important instructions for the further development of the country’s defense capabilities and nuclear combat forces,” the KCNA reported. Ankit Panda, a senior fellow at the US-based Carnegie Endowment for International Peace, said the weapon was most likely a short-range ballistic missile and the North’s first regular nuclear weapons system. North Korea has a domestic check to build and refine weapons ordered by Kim Jong Un despite what the United States does or does not do, and tests tell people that North Korea is strong, said Duyeon Kim, an expert on North Korea in the USA based at the Center for a New American Security. One reason for the timetable could be to protest the expected joint US-South Korean military exercises, he added. On Saturday, the US-based 2nd Infantry Division, based in South Korea, shared photos of troops testing a multi-launcher missile defense system (MLRS), although it was unclear when the exercises took place. The real-life exercises were to “ensure that we are ready here to support the ROK-US Alliance,” the section said on Twitter, using the initials of the official South Korean name. U.S. and South Korean officials have been conducting activities at the North Punggye-ri nuclear test site that could be preparations for a test, although the timing and nature of such a test were unclear. read more US Special Envoy Sung Kim is scheduled to travel to Seoul on Monday for a five-day visit to discuss with his South Korean counterparts the response to recent missile launches in the north. read more The United States has said it is open to talks with North Korea at any time and unconditionally, but Pyongyang has so far rejected those calls, accusing Washington of pursuing hostile policies such as sanctions and military exercises. The KCNA report also came shortly after North Korea on Friday celebrated the 110th anniversary of the birth of the late founder Kim Il Sung, one of the country’s largest annual holidays, but without a military parade. Sign up now for FREE unlimited access to Reuters.com Register Report by Soo-hyang Choi and Josh Smith. Editing by Jack Kim and Richard Chang Our role models: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.
