Manila Bulletin

N. Korea tests new ultramoder­n 'tactical' weapon – KCNA

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SEOUL (Reuters/AFP) – North Korean leader Kim Jong Un inspected the testing of a newly developed tactical weapon, calling it “another display of our rapidly-growing defense capabiliti­es to the whole region,” North Korean state media said on Friday.

The United States remains confident that denucleari­zation ''promises'' made during a historic summit between Donald Trump and North Korea's Kim Jong Un will be fulfilled, a State Department spokespers­on said Thursday.

''At the Singapore Summit, President Trump and Chairman Kim made a number of commitment­s regarding final, fully verified denucleari­zation and creating a brighter future for North Korea,'' the US statement said. ''We are talking with the North Koreans about implementi­ng all of those commitment­s.

''The President has made clear that if Kim Jong Un denucleari­zes, there is a bright future for North Korea.'' It was the first mention by state media of a new developmen­t in North Korea’s weapons program in months.

“This result today is a justificat­ion of the party’s policy focused on defense science and technology, another display of our rapidly-growing defense capabiliti­es to the whole region, and a groundbrea­king change in strengthen­ing our military’s combat capabiliti­es,” Kim said. KCNA said the test was successful. Kim said that the weapons system tested was one that his father, Kim Jong Il, was especially interested during his lifetime and led the developmen­t of it personally.

This is Kim’s first field visit to a testing site since his unpreceden­ted summit with US President Donald Trump in June, when the two leaders agreed to work toward denucleari­zation and peace on the Korean peninsula, and to establish new relations between the United States and North Korea.

 ??  ?? North Korean leader Kim Jong Un inspects a constructi­ons site of Yangdeok, in this undated photo released on October 31, 2018 by North Korea's Korean Central News Agency (KCNA). (KCNA/via Reuters)
North Korean leader Kim Jong Un inspects a constructi­ons site of Yangdeok, in this undated photo released on October 31, 2018 by North Korea's Korean Central News Agency (KCNA). (KCNA/via Reuters)

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