North Korean leader Kim Jong Un has warned of impending tests of a nuclear warhead explosion and ballistic missiles capable of carrying atomic warheads, state media reported on Tuesday, in an escalati
North Korean leader Kim Jong Un has warned of impending tests of a nuclear warhead explosion and ballistic missiles capable of carrying atomic warheads, state media reported on Tuesday, in an escalation of threats against Seoul and Washington.
The warning came as North Korea said it had made a breakthrough in its pursuit of a long-range missile capable of striking the US mainland. South Korea says the North has yet to develop a functioning inter-continental ballistic missile.
Kim issued the order for the tests “in a short time,” according to the Korean Central News Agency. The KCNA report did not say if Kim gave specific dates for the tests.
It is not clear if the tests would happen soon, given that any tests would likely invite harsher international sanctions after the country was hit by the toughest UN Security Council sanctions in two decades in early March for a nuclear test and long-range rocket launch conducted earlier this year.
Some of the North’s recent rhetoric was seen intended for a domestic audience to display government strength ahead of a major meeting of the ruling party in May. In the past, North Korea has typically conducted nuclear tests and rocket launches every three to four years.
Even if the tests happen, analysts in Seoul said the nuclear warhead explosion that Kim referred to will likely be just a test of a warhead containing only a trigger device but lacking plutonium or uranium. They said the North could also launch shorter-range missiles, but not one with an intercontinental range.
Pyongyang, known for its trademark fiery rhetoric in times of tension with the outside world, has been stepping up its threats after Washington and Seoul last week began annual military drills that the North views as an invasion rehearsal.
The drills, set to run until late April, are the largest ever. Last Wednesday, North Korea’s main newspaper printed photos of what appeared to be a mock-up of nuclear warhead.
