North Korea is prepared to deploy its nuclear arsenal:
Speaking at a commemoration of the Korean War, Mr. Kim of North Korea also said that the nation was “totally prepared for any military confrontation” with the US, according to the state news agency KCNA. The remarks come amid worries that North Korea may be getting ready for its seventh nuclear test.
The US issued a caution about Pyongyang’s potential for such a test last month. 2017 saw North Korea conduct its most recent nuclear test. On the Korean peninsula, though, tensions have been increasing. Sung Kim, the US’s special envoy to North Korea, claims that the country has tested 31 missiles this year, more than double the previous record-breaking year’s total of 25.
In retaliation, South Korea fired eight of its own missiles in June. “North Korea is prepared to deploy its nuclear arsenal.”
Korean War:
North Korea declares victory over the US in the 1950–1953 Korean War, despite the fact that it ended in a truce. Military parades, pyrotechnics, and dancing highlight the yearly “Victory Day” celebrations. In his speech to commemorate the occasion, Mr. Kim stated that North Korea must complete the “urgent historical duty” of bolstering its self-defense due to nuclear threats from the US.
He noted that the US had mischaracterized North Korea’s routine military drills as provocations. Mr. Kim also seemed to respond to rumors that South Korea is reviving a strategy to counter the nuclear threat from North Korea by undertaking preventative strikes in the case of an impending attack.
On the brink of War:
It’s really unsettling to hear Kim Jong-Un warn that the Korean peninsula is “on the verge of war.” However, North Korean rhetoric may be quite abrasive, especially around important anniversaries. It shows how enraged the North Korean leadership is with Yoon Suk-yeol, the country’s new president.
President Yoon has outlined a new, more robust defense policy since taking office in May. If Seoul feels Pyongyang is about to launch a nuclear attack on it, it would allow South Korean forces to strike the North before Pyongyang could.
Kill-Chain Strategy:
This so-called “Kill Chain” strategy would allow South Korea to launch ballistic missiles and air strikes on North Korean targets, including taking out the North Korean command and control structures. In other words, attempting to kill Kim Jong-Un himself. Pyongyang is also quite unhappy with the lack of engagement from Washington since President Biden replaced Donald Trump.
All of this could suggest we are headed towards some sort of deliberate escalation by the North. Everyone now expects that Pyongyang will carry out a seventh underground nuclear test. Preparations have been underway at the Punggye-ri test site since March.
In October 2020, North Korea unveiled a new ballistic missile. Like the Hwasong-15, it is a two-stage liquid-fuelled missile, but with a greater length and diameter. It could possibly carry multiple warheads. As yet unnamed, it is believed to be able to deliver a nuclear warhead to anywhere in the US, and its size surprised even seasoned analysts when it was put on a show in 2020.
In January 2021, North Korea unveiled another missile – a new type of submarine-launched ballistic missile which it declared to be “the world’s most powerful weapon”.
Read More: https://youthdiplomacyforum.com/2022/07/22/russias-influence-in-ukraine-is-about-to-wane/
Tactical Guided Projectile:
In March 2021, it carried out a launch of what it called a “new-type tactical guided projectile”, which it said was able to carry a payload of 2.5 tons – so capable of in theory carrying a nuclear warhead. The weapon has not been formally identified. Analysts at the James Martin Center for Nonproliferation Studies told Reuters that it appeared to be “an improved variant” of a previously tested missile, the KN-23.
The last September of a long-range cruise missile could pose yet more challenges for defense systems, as these missiles don’t have to follow a straight trajectory and can be programmed to avoid detection.
State media said it could travel up to 1,500km (930 miles), putting much of Japan within range, although it’s not clear as yet how it is guided, and whether it could carry a nuclear payload. Unlike ballistic missiles, current UN Security Council sanctions do not prohibit North Korea from testing cruise missiles.
The hypersonic missile tested last September can travel at much faster speeds, and avoid radar detection for longer than ballistic missiles.
As Reported by the media team of the Youth Diplomacy Forum
