Rogue state shows off new long-range missiles, but some judged to be fakes
Protests over returns
IN a show of military might, North Korea has paraded new long-range missiles that leader Kim Jong-un claims will one day threaten the world.
The dictator showcased his weapons in an act of international defiance as a pre-emptive strike against the secretive communist state loomed.
Pyongyang warned it was prepared to take the “toughest” action unless the US ended its “military hysteria”, as the regime conducting a sixth nuclear test.
But despite North Korea’s show of force celebrating the 105th anniversary of the birth of the nation’s founder Kim Il-sung on Saturday, questions remained about its military capability.
Much of Kim Jong-un’s arsenal is thought to be fake.
One rocket even appeared crooked, with a nose cone pointing upwards instead of aligned with the missile.
But the rockets paraded through the capital included what commentators said appeared to be a new kind of intercontinental ballistic missile, loaded on huge trucks – yesterday dubbed a “Frankenmissile” by a US weapons expert.
They suggest Pyongyang is working towards a “new concept” of weapon that would put the heartland of the US within range, although the vast rockets on display have never been test-fired and are probably a long way from deployment. To military analysts scrutinising the broadcast of the parade, a unique element seemed to be three types of long-range ballistic missiles, one of them apparently new. While the North has repeatedly claimed it can strike the US with a nuclear warhead, it has never flight- tested an intercontinental ballistic missile capable of crossing the Pacific.
However, intelligence sources have said North Korea would instead train its weapons – possibly tipped with chemicals – on neighbouring South Korea.
By unleashing a barrage of artillery against the capital Seoul, which is one of the largest cities in the world, it would inflict large-scale fatalities.
US Korea expert Victor Cha said: “It gets pretty ugly. There could be millions of casualties if something like this were
to happen.” The North could also target US military bases in South Korea and Japan with ballistic missiles – potentially with nuclear-tipped missiles if the despotic leader’s claims are to be believed.
However, any such act would be met by a rapid response which could include cruise missiles launched from the US Navy strike force, led by the aircraft carrier USS Carl Vinson, now stationed off the coast of South Korea.
Heavy bombers are also stationed the area, able to launch an attack within hours.
One missile shown off on Saturday was the KN-08, which the North first displayed five years ago and is widely believed to have been its first attempt at an intercontinental ballistic missile.
They were seen carried on huge launcher trucks encased in tubes or canisters, which some believe may
It gets pretty ugly. There could be millions of people killed EXPERT VICTOR CHA ON AN ATTACK ON SEOUL
have been empty. Such canisters are used to “cold launch” missiles, ejecting them high into the air before their fuel ignites. It makes them harder to detect once fired. Jeffrey Lewis, a North Korea specialist, said: “They’re not just showing off missiles that are hard to build. They’re showing off all the associated technologies you need for credin ible deployments.” The rogue state is believed to have more than 1,000 other missiles of varying capabilities.
Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe has said North Korea may already have the capability to deliver missiles to Japan equipped with sarin nerve agent like that recently used by Bashar al-Assad in Syria.
He said: “The security situation around our country is getting increasingly severe. We have just talked about Syria. There is a possibility North Korea already has a capability to put sarin on warheads...”
The missiles are supported by more than 700,000 active troops and 4.5 million in the reserves. The army is thought to be double the size of that of its neighbour to the south.
But the US has almost one-and-ahalf million available frontline troops, with more than a million active reserves. America is ranked top in the world for military power, while North Korea is 25th.
PROTESTERS hold banners aloft in New York City as they joined thousands around the US demanding President Donald Trump release his tax returns.
Organisers said marches took place in about 150 cities on Saturday, while violent clashes with Trump supporters were reported in Berkeley, California. Will And Grace actress Debra Messing, who was at the New York rally, said: “We know for a fact our current administration has deep links to Russia. The only way we can know what kind of business ties our President has with businesses all over the world is by looking at his tax returns.”
But yesterday, Trump tweeted: “Now Tax Returns are brought up again? Someone should look into who paid for the small organised rallies yesterday.”
Trump broke a tradition by not releasing his returns during his presidential campaign. chris.bucktin@mirror.co.uk