Daily Mirror (Northern Ireland)
Ruthless Jong-un’s nukes ‘will have UK in range next year’
NORTH Korea will almost certainly be able to hit Britain with a nuclear strike within 18 months if its weapons programme continues at the same pace, MPS have warned.
They said it was a “reasonable assumption” that Kim Jong-un’s regime could already target the UK. But they added there was no sign the state wanted to turn its nukes on us.
The study by the Commons Defence Committee said: “It is obvious to North Korea that launching such weapons would lead to YULIA Skripal says her strength is “growing daily” after she and dad Sergei were poisoned with novichok.
She yesterday called their ordeal “somewhat disorientating”.
Russian media claimed Yulia had also spoken to her cousin, saying she and ex-double agent Sergei, 66, were “OK”.
It came as Alexander Yakovenko, Russian ambassador to the UK, denied the Kremlin was behind the nerve agent attack in Salisbury.
In her first comments since the March 4 poisoning Yulia, 33, said in a statement issued by Scotland
Yard: “I woke up over a week ago now and am glad to say my strength is growing daily.
“I am grateful for the many messages of goodwill I’ve received.
“I have many people to thank for my recovery and would especially like to mention the people of Salisbury that came to my aid.
“I would like to thank the staff at Salisbury District Hospital for their care. The entire episode is somewhat disorientating.” Yulia’s cousin Viktoria Skripal claimed to devastating military consequences from the US, South Korea and other countries.
“It would result in the annihilation of the regime – the opposite of what Kim Jong-un is seeking to achieve. He is ruthless, like other Communist dictators, but he is rational.”
The report added: “We do not believe North Korea regards the UK as a primary target – its goal being to threaten the United States mainland.” But it warned: “The UK has only limited ballistic missile defence if North Korea decided to launch a missile at the UK.” Tensions escalated in 2016 and 2017 when the rogue regime carried out brazen nuclear tests.
Announcing talks between Kim and the US, South Korea claimed the North Korean leader was committed to dismantling its nuclear arsenal. But committee chairman Julian Lewis said: “We are sceptical North Korea would give it up, now it’s on the verge of success.”
MPS also warned that Britain is still at risk from North Korean cyber attacks.