North Korea launches two missiles
SEOUL: The leader of North Korea ordered its military to boost its strike capability as he directed another missilefiring, state media said yesterday, as tensions grew over tests that appeared to show preparations for a new advanced missile system.
The call for ‘‘full combat posture’’ by Kim Jongun came as the United States announced it had seized a large cargo ship for carrying an illegal shipment of coal.
The increased tensions come amid a gridlock in dialogue after the second summit between Kim and US President Donald Trump collapsed over US demands for Pyongyang’s nuclear disarmament and Kim’s demands for relief from punishing sanctions.
‘‘[Kim] stressed the need to further increase the capability of the defence units in the forefront area and on the western front, to carry out combat tasks and keep full combat posture to cope with any emergency,’’ KCNA news agency reported.
He noted ‘‘genuine peace and security of the country are guaranteed only by the strong physical force capable of defending its sovereignty’’, KCNA said, adding he ‘‘set forth important tasks for further increasing the strike ability’’.
The test of two shortrange missiles on Thursday and the firing of a series of projectiles last weekend were the first missile launches by the North since November 2017, when the North fired an intercontinental ballistic missile.
Later, Kim declared the building of its nuclear force was complete and went on to hold three summit meetings with South Korean President Moon Jaein and two with Trump.
Both Trump and Moon said the latest missile tests were not helpful but suggested they would not scupper dialogue.
‘‘I know they want to negotiate, they’re talking about negotiating. But I don’t think they’re ready to negotiate,’’ Trump told reporters.
‘‘They were smaller missiles, they were shortrange missiles,’’ he said. ‘‘Nobody’s happy about it but we’re taking a good look and we’ll see.’’
The two missiles on Thursday were fired from Kusong, an area northwestern of Pyongyang, and flew 420km and 270 km and reached an altitude of about 50km before hitting the sea, South Korea’s military said.
North Korea’s state media did not provide details of the missiles.
The South Korean and US militaries are analysing the tests. — Reuters