North Korea successfully test-fired a new tactical guided missile, raising fears that President Kim Jong Un, who observed the launch, is focusing on bolstering the country’s nuclear capabilities.
The development comes as North Korea conducted a launch late last month of an intercontinental ballistic missile — its first since November 2017 — and could indicate that the Hermit Kingdom is ready to resume nuclear testing, South Korean and US officials said.
The Korean Central News Agency, North Korea’s media mouthpiece, didn’t say when the launch occurred but noted that it was linked to the country’s nuclear goals.
“The new-type tactical guided weapon system … is of great significance in drastically improving the firepower of the frontline long-range artillery units and enhancing the efficiency in the operation of tactical nukes,” KCNA said.
It added that Kim “gave important instructions on further building up the defense capabilities and nuclear combat forces of the country.”
South Korea’s military said it had detected two rockets launched on Saturday near North Korea’s east coast.
They traveled about 70 miles and climbed as high as 15 miles while hitting a speed of less than Mach 4, or four times the speed of sound.
South Korea said the missiles were likely short-range.
The missiles appear to be North Korea’s first tactical nuclear-weapons delivery system, Ankit Panda, a senior fellow at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace, told Reuters.
“You don’t have to be particularly imaginative to put this two and two together,” Panda told the wire service.
Kim presided over a massive parade on Friday in Pyongyang to observe the 110th anniversary of the birth of his grandfather, Kim Il Sung, who founded North Korea.
The North Korean despot notably did not tout his country’s military might at the event or without a parade to showcase its weapons.
But another celebration is scheduled for April 25 in Pyongyang that could include a military parade.
With Post wires
