North Korea Tests New Weapon Bolstering Nuclear Capability

The 13th arms test this year came amid concerns that North Korea could soon face an even bigger challenge. This could include a nuclear test in an effort to expand the country’s arsenal and increase pressure on Washington and Seoul, while denuclearization talks remain deadlocked. The official Korean Central News Agency said that leader Kim Jong Un observed, as he called it, the successful launch of the weapon. He posted a photo showing a radiant Kim clapping his hands with army officers. The KCNA said the weapon tested was “of great importance for drastically improving the firepower of long-range long-range artillery units, enhancing the efficiency of regular (North Korean) nuclear weapons and diversifying their firepower missions.” . The KCNA did not provide further details, but the use of the words “regular nuclear” indicates that the weapon is capable of carrying a nuclear warhead that could hit strategic targets in South Korea, including US military installations. The KCNA mission did not say when or where the launch took place. “North Korea is trying to develop not only long-range nuclear missiles targeting US cities but also regular nuclear weapons to threaten Seoul and US bases in Asia,” said Leif-Eric Easley, a professor at Ewha University in Seoul. “Pyongyang’s intentions probably go beyond the deterrent and the survival of the regime. “As Russia fears it could use nuclear weapons regularly, North Korea may want such weapons for political coercion, escalation on the battlefield and limiting other countries’ willingness to intervene in a conflict.” Some observers have suggested that the weapon shown in the North Korean photos suggests it may be a smaller, lighter version of the nuclear-capable KN-23 missile that has an extremely flexible flight aimed at destroying missile defense systems. Others said it could be a new missile combining the technical features of the KN-23 and another short-range ballistic missile called the KN-24. The South Korean Joint Chiefs of Staff said in a statement that it had spotted two launches from the east coastal city of Hamhung in North Korea early Saturday night. He said the missiles flew about 110 kilometers (68 miles) at an altitude of 25 kilometers (16 miles) and a top speed of 4 Mach. The South Korean presidential office said officials had met twice this weekend to discuss North Korea’s military activities. The South Korean military announced later Sunday that its nine-day spring exercise with the United States would begin on Monday. He said the Allies decided to conduct computer simulation exercises that did not include field training, after examining factors such as the COVID-19 pandemic and the Allies’ combined defense readiness. The exercises could further escalate hostilities in the Korean Peninsula, as North Korea has previously responded with its own weapons tests and fiery rhetoric. North Korea began a series of weapons tests this year, including the first intercontinental ballistic missile test capable of reaching the U.S. homeland in 2017. South Korea recently said it had found signs that North Korea was rebuilding tunnel disbandment weeks before entering into dormant nuclear talks with the United States in 2018. A possible North Korean nuclear test would involve a regular nuclear warhead, said Cheong Seong-Chang, an analyst at the Sejong Private Institute in South Korea. He predicted that North Korea would push to place a tactical nuclear warhead on the weapon tested this weekend and to develop such nuclear missiles near the border with South Korea. “North Korea has a domestic check to build and refine weapons ordered by Kim Jong Un last year, regardless of what the United States does or does not do. “The test also tells its people that their country is strong despite their obvious financial difficulties,” said Duyeon Kim, a senior analyst at the Washington Center for New American Security. “One reason for the political synchronization could be the protest against the expected US-South Korean military exercises.” On Friday, Kim attended a mass political parade in Pyongyang marking the 110th birthday of his grandfather, Kim Il Sung, who founded the state. It seems that the country spent its most important national holiday without a long-awaited military parade to present its new weapons systems. Kim may also hold a military parade to mark the 25th anniversary of the founding of the North Korean military on April 25. But if this anniversary passes again without a military parade, some experts say it could mean that Kim does not have new powerful missiles to demonstrate and that his next challenging step is likely to be a nuclear test.

Associated Press writer Kim Tong-hyung contributed to this report.

title: “North Korea Tests New Weapon Bolstering Nuclear Capability " ShowToc: true date: “2022-12-02” author: “Nicholas Prideaux”

The 13th arms test this year came amid concerns that North Korea could soon face an even bigger challenge. This could include a nuclear test in an effort to expand the country’s arsenal and increase pressure on Washington and Seoul, while denuclearization talks remain deadlocked. The official Korean Central News Agency said that leader Kim Jong Un observed, as he called it, the successful launch of the weapon. He posted a photo showing a radiant Kim clapping his hands with army officers. The KCNA said the weapon tested was “of great importance for drastically improving the firepower of long-range long-range artillery units, enhancing the efficiency of regular (North Korean) nuclear weapons and diversifying their firepower missions.” . The KCNA did not provide further details, but the use of the words “regular nuclear” indicates that the weapon is capable of carrying a nuclear warhead that could hit strategic targets in South Korea, including US military installations. The KCNA mission did not say when or where the launch took place. “North Korea is trying to develop not only long-range nuclear missiles targeting US cities but also regular nuclear weapons to threaten Seoul and US bases in Asia,” said Leif-Eric Easley, a professor at Ewha University in Seoul. “Pyongyang’s intentions probably go beyond the deterrent and the survival of the regime. “As Russia fears it could use nuclear weapons regularly, North Korea may want such weapons for political coercion, escalation on the battlefield and limiting other countries’ willingness to intervene in a conflict.” Some observers have suggested that the weapon shown in the North Korean photos suggests it may be a smaller, lighter version of the nuclear-capable KN-23 missile that has an extremely flexible flight aimed at destroying missile defense systems. Others said it could be a new missile combining the technical features of the KN-23 and another short-range ballistic missile called the KN-24. The South Korean Joint Chiefs of Staff said in a statement that it had spotted two launches from the east coastal city of Hamhung in North Korea early Saturday night. He said the missiles flew about 110 kilometers (68 miles) at an altitude of 25 kilometers (16 miles) and a top speed of 4 Mach. The South Korean presidential office said officials had met twice this weekend to discuss North Korea’s military activities. The South Korean military announced later Sunday that its nine-day spring exercise with the United States would begin on Monday. He said the Allies decided to conduct computer simulation exercises that did not include field training, after examining factors such as the COVID-19 pandemic and the Allies’ combined defense readiness. The exercises could further escalate hostilities in the Korean Peninsula, as North Korea has previously responded with its own weapons tests and fiery rhetoric. North Korea began a series of weapons tests this year, including the first intercontinental ballistic missile test capable of reaching the U.S. homeland in 2017. South Korea recently said it had found signs that North Korea was rebuilding tunnel disbandment weeks before entering into dormant nuclear talks with the United States in 2018. A possible North Korean nuclear test would involve a regular nuclear warhead, said Cheong Seong-Chang, an analyst at the Sejong Private Institute in South Korea. He predicted that North Korea would push to place a tactical nuclear warhead on the weapon tested this weekend and to develop such nuclear missiles near the border with South Korea. “North Korea has a domestic check to build and refine weapons ordered by Kim Jong Un last year, regardless of what the United States does or does not do. “The test also tells its people that their country is strong despite their obvious financial difficulties,” said Duyeon Kim, a senior analyst at the Washington Center for New American Security. “One reason for the political synchronization could be the protest against the expected US-South Korean military exercises.” On Friday, Kim attended a mass political parade in Pyongyang marking the 110th birthday of his grandfather, Kim Il Sung, who founded the state. It seems that the country spent its most important national holiday without a long-awaited military parade to present its new weapons systems. Kim may also hold a military parade to mark the 25th anniversary of the founding of the North Korean military on April 25. But if this anniversary passes again without a military parade, some experts say it could mean that Kim does not have new powerful missiles to demonstrate and that his next challenging step is likely to be a nuclear test.

Associated Press writer Kim Tong-hyung contributed to this report.