Verbal attacks on the THAAD missile defense system and the December 28 comfort women settlement are likely attempts to distract from the nuclear issue North Korean media are continuing their verbal attacks on the US, South Korea, and Japan over the possible deployment of a Terminal High Altitude Air Defense (THAAD) system on the Korean Peninsula and a recent agreement on the comfort women issue.
Advertisement
Last week, U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry suggested China could limit trade with North Korea as a potential action against Pyongyang over the latest nuclear test.
A senior Chinese negotiator traveled to North Korea, his first trip to Pyongyang since the isolated nation conducted its fourth nuclear test nearly a month ago and prompted the U.S.to seek tougher sanctions.
The launching pad and its surrounding facilities have always been curtained.
The shelter could allow for rocket stages to be assembled and moved to the tower under cover of darkness of heavy clouds, 38 North found. It is large enough to hide the first stage of North Korea’s Musudan intermediate range ballistic missile, its Unha space-launch vehicle, or a new rocket engine.
In the past, North Korea has conducted missile launches and nuclear tests close together in time.
Analysts say North Korea’s political relations with its longtime ally have been strained by Pyongyang’s pursuit of nuclear weapons and its associated tests despite Beijing’s objections.
South Korea’s defense ministry Monday reiterated the need for the deployment of a USA missile defense system on the Korean peninsula to better deal with ballistic missile and nuclear threats from the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea (DPRK). Recently, Kim Jong Un has criticized a North Korean penchant for foreign goods, advocating the use of domestic goods. The Wall Street Journal reported on Thursday that the United States could announce that the two countries are in negotiations on the deployment of Thaad soon.
However, the spokesman said that there has been no request made by the U.S.to open discussions on THAAD although talks are held inside the US government.
Advertisement
North Korea said last month it wasn’t interested in aggravating tensions and that it would suspend nuclear testing if the US stopped joint military drills with South Korea, a proposal quickly dismissed by USA officials. The test, aimed at improving the reliability of USA interceptors based in Alaska and California, met the agency’s objectives, the source said.
