US experts say North Korea’s test last week of what state media claimed was warhead reentry technology was conducted at one of the country’s primary missile production facilities.
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North Korea has denounced the largest ever military drills by the US and South Korea a “thrice-cursed provocation”, which Pyongyang sees as rehearsal for an invasion.
Meanwhile, Japan’s Defense Minister Gen Nakatani said Tuesday that Japan plans to deploy ground-based missile interceptors at the Defense Ministry compound in Tokyo at all times amid North Korea’s repeated launches of ballistic missiles despite worldwide condemnation.
Kim Jong Un said the country had “successfully” tested a solid-fuel rocket engine, according to Pyongyang’s news agency KCNA.
“In this regard our military, along with intelligence authorities in South Korea and the United States, are thoroughly monitoring such movements”, said ministry spokesman Moon Sang-Gyun.
“The latest provocations are happening as the the North comes under a newly passed package of sanctions”. The officials also said the incident happened between 3:19 and 4:05 p.m. South Korean time (2:19 to 3:05 a.m. ET) Monday, as reported by CNN.
The announcement came as South Korean President Park Geun-Hye ordered the military to “strengthen readiness” in the wake of multiple North Korean threats to launch nuclear and conventional missile attacks.
The North’s test appears meant to use solid propellants for missiles with a range of 400-500 kilometers (250-310 miles) that can place entire South Korea in its striking range, and Pyongyang will likely try to do the same on medium- and long-range missiles, according to analyst Chae Yeon-seok at South Korea’s state-run Korea Aerospace Research Institute. “North Korea seems to parade its nuclear and missile development progress within and outside of the regime”.
“Switching to solid fuel means North Korea could frequently fire ballistic missiles”.
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North’s leader, Kim Jong-un, promised even more nuclear tests as he races to fulfill dreams of developing a nuclear weapon against the tightening of sanctions by the United Nations Security Council that was announced earlier this month. “It will be clearly proved by the miserable end the USA and the Park group will meet while going reckless”, said the Committee for the Peaceful Reunification of Korea, using the formal name for North Korea.
