The spectacle promises to be the most elaborate since Kim Jong Un assumed power after the death of his father, Kim Jong Illinois, in late 2011, and the satellite imagery suggests the military parade could be the country’s biggest ever. Analysts and South Korean officials say there have been no visible signs of launch preparations. Preparations for the event are in full swing amid speculation that Pyongyang may also unveil new weaponry at the parade.
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A senior military official has revealed that North Korea might pose a legit threat to mainland America.
The emergence of private market enterprise in North Korea has provided an alternative path to “get ahead” and its participants don’t want to be saddled with the often time-consuming duties that party membership demands. It has warned it will launch a satellite, widely seen as cover for its long-range ballistic missile program. North Korea depends on China to buy most of its exports, but ties between the longtime allies have become strained over North Korea’s nuclear brinkmanship.
While a detailed schedule for Liu and the delegate has not been disclosed, it is expected they will attend the massive military parade scheduled Saturday to mark the Workers’ Party anniversary.
However, few analysts believe that China will exert enough pressure on the North to give up its nuclear weapons because it could lead to the collapse of the North’s regime and hurt China’s national interests. “North Korea is a totalitarian state”, writes Rüdiger Frank, an East Asia researcher at the University of Vienna, in one of his books.
Though both institutions are strong, the power balance among various government organs in North Korea is a delicate one and maintaining that balance is a key to keeping Kim’s leadership solid and unchallenged. “They need to build up its launch pad and also add another 4000 to 5000 kilometers of firing range, but North Korea couldn’t solve the technical matters including fuel and timer”, he said.
Gortney’s remarks come three months after Marine Gen. Joseph Dunford said North Korea possesses nuclear ballistic missiles capable of reaching the United States, Voice of America reported. However, he made it clear that no decision has been made concerning THAAD’s deployment, emphasizing United States intentions to pursue thorough dialogue with South Korea. Though no longer a country of starvation, the North remains poor and has resisted enacting the kind of market-oriented reforms that have brought higher living standards to China and Vietnam.
Gao Haikuan, a specialist in Northeast Asian security with the Chinese Association for global Friendly Contact, said China would continue providing reasonable economic and trading support to North Korea even though Beijing had agreed that Kim was an elusive negotiator.
Also in town: Liu Yunshan, number five in China’s Communist Party.
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On Thursday, visitors were taken to a football match, with North Korea playing the Philippines to a tense, scoreless draw before an enthusiastic crowd.
