China Daily Global Edition (USA)
Kim oversees testing of multiple rocket launchers
Pyongyang conducted a “strike drill” on Saturday, firing tactical guided weapons off its east coast in a drill supervised by its top leader Kim Jong-un, a move sought to escalate the pressure on Washington to return to the negotiating table with a compromise on easing sanctions, analysts said.
A Sunday report by the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea’s official Korean Central News Agency said the drill was aimed “to estimate and inspect the operating ability and the accuracy of striking duty performance of large-caliber, long-range multiple rocket launchers and tactical guided weapons by defense units based in the frontline area and on the eastern front”.
Kim praised the DPRK’s army for its excellent operation of modern large-caliber long-range multiple rocket launchers and tactical guided weapons, and spoke highly of the successful striking drill though it was organized without an advance notice, KCNA said.
Kim also stressed the need for the army to “keep high alert posture” and more dynamically wage the drive to increase combat ability so as to “defend the political sovereignty and economic selfsustenance of the country”.
“The iron truth is that genuine peace and security are ensured and guaranteed only by powerful strength,” Kim said.
The Republic of Korea’s Yonhap News Agency said ROK’s Joint Chiefs of Staff confirmed that the DPRK had fired short-range projectiles on Saturday morning.
ROK officials said the projectiles flew only 42 to 124 miles (68-200 kilometers) off DPRK’s east coast, ruling out the possibility that the country had resumed tests of intermediate- or intercontinental-range ballistic missiles.
Analysts say the firing appeared to be a “carefully-calibrated move” by Pyongyang to pressure Washington into showing more flexibility in their nuclear negotiations without going as far as to derail the talks.
Nuclear negotiations have been stalemated after the second summit between Kim and US President Donald Trump in Hanoi ended without an agreement due to differences over denuclearization steps and sanctions relief.
Confident Trump
In a tweet message hours after the projectile firing, Trump voiced his confidence that Pyongyang would keep its promise on denuclearization.
“Anything in this very interesting world is possible, but I believe that Kim Jong-un fully realizes the great economic potential of North Korea (the DPRK), & will do nothing to interfere or end it,” Trump tweeted. “He also knows that I am with him & does not want to break his promise to me. Deal will happen!”
Lee Jung-nam, a professor at the Asiatic Research Institute at Korea University in Seoul, said Kim’s decision to fire short-range weapons may be an attempt to force a breakthrough in the stalled negotiations with Washington while not provoking Trump too far.
“But any weapons test by the DPRK increases uncertainty,” Lee warned.
Zhang Liangui, a professor of international politics at the Party School of the Communist Party of China’s Central Committee, said the Saturday drill is nothing but a “diplomatic show” aimed to put more pressure on Washington and tell it that Pyongyang has no intention of giving up its nuclear weapons first unless it gets sanctions relief.
“But for the moment, there is no alternative but for Pyongyang to show it is sincere about the denuclearization of the peninsula. The nuclear issues would never be resolved without the active help of Pyongyang,” Zhang added.