Kim guides test-firing of new rocket

Pyongyang's move seen as a protest against ROK-US joint military drills

The Democratic People's Republic of Korea said on Thursday that it had tested "a new rocket system" in launches conducted the previous day, raising questions about the Republic of Korea's claims that Pyongyang had fired two short-range ballistic missiles.

The DPRK state media Korean Central News Agency said the country's top leader, Kim Jongun, guided the test-fire of a new large-caliber guided rocket system on Wednesday.

"The test-fire scientifically confirmed that the tactical data and technical characteristics of the new-type large-caliber guided ordnance rocket reached the numerical values of its design, and verified the combat effectiveness of the overall system," the KCNA said in a report.

"After learning about the result of the test-fire, Kim said that it is very great and it would be an inescapable distress to the forces becoming a fat target of the weapon," it added.

The KCNA did not mention any country as its potential target, but ROK's Yonhap News Agency said the report appears to be referring to Seoul, "which is apparently within the range of the weapon", it said.

The reports came a day after the ROK military said the DPRK had fired two short-range ballistic missiles off its east coast early on Wednesday. ROK said the missiles were estimated to have flown about 250 kilometers at an approximate altitude of 30 km.

Calling the weapons tested this week "missiles", US National Security Adviser John Bolton said on Wednesday that the launches "do not represent a violation of leader Kim's promise not to conduct long-range missile tests".

Bolton, who is known for his hawkish views on the Korean Peninsula issues, however, questioned Pyongyang's seriousness about resuming denuclearization talks, as he spoke on a Fox TV program.

Many observers believed Pyongyang's latest test of weapons are a way to protest joint military drills between the ROK and the United States slated for later this month. Despite Pyongyang's intention to pressure Seoul and Washington to stop joint exercises, the Pentagon said on Wednesday that it does not plan to make any changes to the military drill.

The US and the ROK militaries are planning to stage a joint exercise in August, known as Dong Maeng. It is believed to be a slimmed down version of an annual drill once known as the Ulchi Freedom Guardian exercise, which included thousands of US troops, according to Reuters.

On June 30, US President Donald Trump and the DPRK top leader Kim Jong-un met at the inter-Korean border village of Panmunjom, but Pyongyang has since accused Washington of breaking a promise by planning the military exercises and warned the drills could derail talks.

Seoul has said previously that the joint military exercise would go ahead, denying Pyongyang's charges that holding it would breach an agreement made between Trump and Kim.

According to The Associated Press, new US Secretary of Defense Mark Esper will be making his first official visit to Seoul. The Pentagon said on Tuesday the visit was scheduled as part of a tour through Asia this month.

Agencies

(China Daily 08/02/2019 page11)