North Korean leader Kim Jong Un oversaw the firing of “cutting-edge” hypersonic missiles. This was to ready Pyongyang’s nuclear forces for war. State media reported on Monday that a “geopolitical crisis” increased the urgency of the test. It was a clear reference to this weekend’s US attack on Venezuela.
Seoul and Tokyo said on Sunday they had detected the launch from near Pyongyang of two ballistic missiles. This was the country’s first test of the year. It occurred just hours before South Korean leader Lee Jae Myung headed to Beijing for a summit.
Lee has expressed his hope to use his visit to harness China’s influence over North Korea. His goal is to improve Seoul’s ties with Pyongyang.
On Monday, the Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) quoted Kim. He said the test showed “the readiness of the DPRK’s nuclear forces.” This refers to North Korea by its official name.
“Recently, important achievements have been made in putting our nuclear forces on a practical basis. We have also prepared them for an actual war,” Kim was quoted as saying by KCNA.
Pyongyang’s activity, he said, was “aimed at gradually putting the nuclear war deterrent on a high-developed basis”.
Photos shared by state media showed Kim puffing on a cigarette. He was accompanied by top officials. A missile soared into the early morning sky.
“The necessity is clear. It is exemplified by the recent geopolitical crisis. The complicated international events underscore this need,” Kim was quoted as saying. This is a clear reference to Washington’s weekend capture of Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro.
The operation represents a nightmare scenario for North Korea’s leadership. It has long feared a so-called “decapitation strike” of that kind. The leadership has accused Washington of seeking to remove it from power.
Pyongyang condemned it on Sunday as a “serious encroachment of sovereignty.” They stated that this “clearly confirms once again the rogue and brutal nature of the US.”
‘War deterrent’
Pyongyang has for decades justified its nuclear and missile programmes as a deterrent against alleged regime change efforts by Washington.
Sunday’s launch “can be interpreted as a message signalling that Pyongyang possesses a war deterrent. It highlights nuclear capabilities. This contrasts with Venezuela,” Hong Min, an analyst at the Seoul-based Korea Institute for National Unification, told AFP.
He pointed to state media reports on Sunday that Kim had visited a facility involved in making tactical guided weapons.
This, he said, “demonstrated a capability to launch more precise strikes. These strikes are more precise than existing multiple rocket launchers. They can be launched from various platforms, including air and ground.”
North Korea’s new weapon system using hypersonic missiles was first tested in October.
Hypersonic missiles travel at more than five times the speed of sound. They can manoeuvre mid-flight. This makes them harder to track and intercept.
Russia deployed them to deadly effect last year on cities in Ukraine. North Korea has deepened ties with Russia in recent years. Iran also used them against Israel.
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