And state media on Wednesday published photos of leader Kim Jong-Un posing with what was claimed to be a miniaturised nuclear warhead.
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“The nuclear warheads have been standardised to be fit for ballistic missiles by miniaturising them”, KCNA quoted Kim as saying as he inspected the work of nuclear scientists, adding “this can be called a true nuclear deterrent ” “.
Kim reportedly also said the North would “never hesitate to make a pre-emptive nuclear strike” if the United States threatened “its sovereignty and right to existence ” .
After the short-range missile launches on Thursday, North Korea announced it would “liquidate” South Korean assets left behind in the Kaesong industrial zone and in the Mount Kumgang tourist zone.
South Korea is also set to impose even tougher sanctions on its neighbor to the north next week, which would include banning all ships that have previously docked at any port in the DPRK from entering South Korean ports.
“Kim’s remarks should really be seen in the context of the cyclical, bellicose language the North uses on an annual basis, especially in the wake of the United Nations sanctions”, Ms Hanham said.
“If six-party talks on the North’s denuclearization or other types of discussions are held, North Korea are likely to further shun the South as a dialogue partner due to deep distrust between them”, Cheong said.
North Korea often fires short-range missiles when tensions rise on the Korean peninsula.
But South Korea has suspended civilian inter-Korean exchanges or approval of South Koreans’ visits to North Korea since Pyongyang’s fourth nuke test on January 6. North Korea hates the massive military drills by Seoul and Washington, calling them invasion preparation.
Spokesman Capt. Jeff Davis also stressed the importance of preparing for the worst-case scenario.
He said the North Korean leader, who is thought to be in his early 30s, needs to pay more attention to the needs of his people rather pursue “reckless capabilities”.
The round object shown in the photos appears to be a model of a trigger device for a warhead, which would contain uranium or plutonium inside it, according to nuclear expert Whang Joo-ho of Kyung Hee University in South Korea.
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The shock announcement prompted the North to expel all South Koreans from the estate and freeze all assets there, shutting down the last symbol of cross-border economic cooperation.
