As per a report by Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) new agency, North Korean leader Kim Jong Un has supervised the test-firing of a new kind of tactical guided weapon that will enhance the country’s “efficiency in the operation of tactical nukes”.
The test came after months of a record-breaking flurry of sanctions-breaking launches, signalling the end of a self-imposed moratorium on long-range and nuclear tests.
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As per US officials and the country’s neighbour South Korea, this signals that North Korea may soon resume nuclear testing.
Kim issued significant directions on further “building up the defence capabilities and nuclear combat forces of the country,” after directing the test, according to the KCNA.
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On Sunday, South Korea’s military reported that it had detected two projectiles launched from the North’s east coast towards the sea late on Saturday. The projectiles flew about 110 kilometres (68 miles) with an apogee of 25 kilometres and a maximum speed of under Mach 4.
“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,” said KCNA in its report.
However, no details are available about the location of the test or the missiles involved.
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In a report by Reuters a senior fellow at the US-based Carnegie Endowment for International Peace, Ankit Panda speculates that it was most likely a short-range ballistic missile and potentially the nation’s first tactical nuclear weapon delivery system.
Following Biden’s election, North Korea conducted a series of 13 missile tests, culminating last month with the launch of a ballistic missile capable of delivering a nuclear bomb to the United States’ eastern flank.
The tests come shortly after the 110th anniversary of the nation’s founder Kim Il Sung, who is also the grandfather of the current leader Kim Jong Un.
(With inputs from agencies)
