N’Korea’s Kim seeking military equality with US, vows to complete nuclear programme

After inspecting a powerful new intermediate-range missile that was fired over Japan, North Korea’s leader Kim Jong Un vowed to reach an “equilibrium” of military force with the United States by completing its nuclear programme.

“Our final goal is to establish the equilibrium of real force with the U.S. and make the U.S. rulers dare not talk about military option,” North Korean leader Kim Jong Un was quoted as saying by the state news agency, KCNA.

Reports say Kim was shown beaming as he watched the missile fly from a moving launcher in photos released by the agency, surrounded by several officials.

“The combat efficiency and reliability of Hwasong-12 were thoroughly verified,” said Kim as quoted by KCNA. Kim added the North’s goal of completing its nuclear force had “nearly reached the terminal”.

Read also: UN Security Council slaps fresh sanctions on defiant North Korea

Two days after the UN Security Council unanimously adopted a US-draft resolution slapping new sanctions on North Korea, the pariah nation for the second time in less than three weeks fired another missile over northern Japan.

The projectile was launched at 6:57am local time on Friday (21:57 GMT Thursday) and flew over the northern Japanese island of Hokkaido before falling into the Pacific Ocean – 2,000km east of Cape Erimo according to Yoshihide Sug, Japan’s chief cabinet secretary.

Recall that a day after fresh sanctions by the UN Security Council was slammed on North Korea, the pariah nation declared that the US will “suffer the greatest pain” over its role in the imposition of latest sanctions on it.

The threat was issued by North Korea’s ambassador to the UN, while speaking after the UN Security Council unanimously adopted a US-draft resolution slapping new sanctions on his country.

 

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