Kim oversees testing of new tactical weapon

The latest news from the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea indicates its determination to push forward the process of talks between top leader Kim Jong-un and US President Donald Trump, as Kim has overseen the testing of a new weapon and the construction of Sinuiju City, said a Chinese expert.

Kim observed the test of the “newly developed ultramodern tactical weapon”, and called it a “decisive turn in bolstering the fighting capacity” of the DPRK’s military, according to the official KCNA news agency.

It said the test was successful, without specifying the type of device involved. Meanwhile, a government source in the Republic of Korea said the weapon is thought to be a long-range artillery piece.

Li Chengri, a researcher from the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences, said the “tactical weapon” could be routine and would not affect Kim’s decision on denuclearization.

“Unlike strategic weapons which can reach some farflung countries, the tactical ones are mainly for domestic use or to cover the Korean Peninsula,” he said. “It demonstrated that the DPRK can’t be played with and expected to meet requirements unilaterally. On the other hand, it also showed its willingness to negotiate.”

Meanwhile, KCNA said Kim also visited Sinuiju in North Pyongan province, the DPRK’s main border city with China, to examine and guide the master plan for the city, and “set forth the tasks and ways of successfully sprucing up Sinuiju City to meet the demand of the present era”.

Kim’s series of moves, Li said, is the DPRK’s reaction toward US pressure as well as to put pressure in turn to achieve progress in the KimTrump dialogue.

“Kim’s visit actually indicates that economic construction and dialogue with the US will not change, adding some bargaining chips for the future,” he said, adding that the moves may continue to promote DPRK-US dialogue.

ROK Unification Minister Cho Myoung-gyon said on Thursday that the DPRK and the US should have more patience and dialogue to build trust, and Seoul would continue to support the denuclearization process by communicating with both the US and the DPRK to keep the process on the right track.