During his trip to Asia, President Joe Biden will meet leaders of Japan and South Korea to discuss the nuclear program of North Korea

White House informs that US President Joe Biden will meet Prime Minister Fumio Kishida of Japan and South Korean President Yoon Suk-Yeol during his forth coming trip to Asia. The meeting would be in Cambodia on Sunday, Nov. 13. This is when the US President will attend the ASEAN and the Group of 20 industrialized nations. Adrienne Watson, spokesperson for the White House said - "The three leaders would work to continue enhancing trilateral cooperation throughout the Indo-Pacific, particularly in regard to our joint efforts to address the ongoing threat posed by the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea’s unlawful weapons of mass destruction and ballistic missile programs.” Biden to discuss North Korea nuclear threat with Japan, South Korea leaders. In October, North Korea test-fired a ballistic missile. It went soaring over Japan for the first time in five years. There was a warning for residents to take cover. It also prompted Biden to assure the Prime Minister of Japan about the "ironclad" commitment of America to the defense of Japan.

In view of these developments, warplanes of South Korean and the U.S. practiced bombing a target in the Yellow Sea. In addition, fighter jets from the United States and Japan conducted joint drills over the Sea of Japan. Recently, a U.S. official told a media outlet that China and Russia could use their influence with North Korea to ensure that it abandons its testing of nuclear bomb. Biden last visited Asia in May. At the time, administration officials said they were in the final stages of a policy review on North Korea. It was also keen to encourage greater trilateral cooperation with Seoul and Tokyo on that issue. Incidentally, there is a U.N. Security Council ban on North Korea from conducting nuclear tests and ballistic missile launches. There are also sanctions on Pyongyang with the objective of cutting off funding for such programs.

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The military of South Korea detected mobilization of 180 North Korean warplanes. Immediately, it took action to counter any attack by scrambling its stealth jets. The Joint Chiefs of Staff of South Korea reported that it scrambled 80 aircraft, including F-35A stealth fighters after spotting North Korean aircraft at multiple locations north of the "tactical action line." There were no immediate reports of clashes. According to an official of South Korea, the virtual line drawn north of the physical border serves as the basis for air defence operations in South Korea. None of the aircraft crossed the "tactical action line." Incidentally, more than 240 planes are participating in the Vigilant Storm air drills with the United States. There was no stoppage of these drills. South Korea scrambles jets after detecting North Korean warplanes.

Pyongyang had earlier launched roughly 80 artillery rounds in retaliation for Seoul's joint military exercises with the United States. These came after the North launched dozens of missiles this week. The United States, Japan and South Korea condemned such actions of North Korea. It seems it test fired at least 23 missiles, and later launched three more into the Sea of Japan. These included an intercontinental ballistic missile that triggered evacuation warnings in Japan. As a result, South Korea and the United States prolonged their Vigilant Storm exercises. This infuriated Pyongyang. It had threatened reprisals over extension of the drills. The actions and reactions of North Korea, the hermit kingdom, are difficult to explain. It is possible that it wants to send out some sort of a message to the global community.

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Missiles fired by North Korea leads to evacuation warning in parts of Japan

North Korea has fired a number of missiles, among these one was an intercontinental ballistic missile. It prompted Japan to issue an evacuation warning for parts of Japan. One of these missiles reached an altitude of 1,200 miles and travelled about 460 miles. Japan's defence minister Yasukazu Hamada said the flight pattern was "lofted trajectory." It means the missile flew high into space to avoid flying over neighboring countries. The Japanese military lost track of the suspected ICBM over the water between the Korean Peninsula and Japan. The minister corrected an earlier report that mentioned it had flown over Japan. In the opinion of South Korea, it might have failed mid-flight. According to officials in Seoul, the launching of the first missile was from some location near Pyongyang. Subsequent ones were from Kaechon, north of Pyongyang. Evacuation alert in parts of Japan and bullet trains halted after North Korea fires missiles. After the first launch, the office of Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida broadcast alerts through different devices to residents in three prefectures. These were Miyagi, Yamagata and Niigata. The alerts were for people to get inside strong buildings or to head underground. Simultaneously, there was suspension of bullet train services in these regions.

Prime Minister Kishida described the repeated missile launches of North Korea as an “outrage and absolutely cannot be forgiven." South Korea's Vice Foreign Minister Cho Hyun-dong and U.S. Deputy Secretary of State Wendy Sherman described these as "deplorable, immoral." The action of the North came a day after it fired at least 23 missiles. One of these landed just 40 miles off the coast of South Korea. It prompted the South to issue its own air raid warnings and launch its own missiles. Pyongyang has also been calling for the U.S. and South Korea to stop large military exercises. It says - "military rashness and provocation (which) can be no longer tolerated." Incidentally, nuclear negotiations between the United States and North Korea remain in a limbo since early 2019.

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North Korea fires at least 10 missiles, one lands close to the territorial waters of the South for the first time since the 1945

The latest missile launch by North Korea was its 29th this year, according to a punt maintained by a section of the media. It consisted of at least 10 missiles. One of these landed close to the territorial waters of South Korea. It was the first incident since the division of the peninsula in 1945. There was also an air raid warning on an island located about 120 kilometers east of the peninsula. It was later lifted. The Joint Chiefs of Staff (JCS) in Seoul said one short-range ballistic missile landed in international waters 167 kilometers northwest of South Korea’s Ulleung Island. This is about 26 kilometers south of the Northern Limit Line (NLL) that is the de facto inter-Korean maritime border. North Korea does not recognize it. South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol described the North Korean test as an “effective territorial encroachment.” In an immediate response, South Korea launched three air-to-surface missiles from F-15K and KF-16 fighter jets according to JCS. North Korean missile lands close to South Korean waters for first time in decades. JCS explained that the South Korean Air Force targeted international waters north of the NLL at an equal distance to that which the North Korean missile had earlier landed south of the line. He added - “Our military’s precise strike showed our will to firmly respond to any North Korean provocations including short-range ballistic missile, and our capability and readiness to precisely target the enemy.”

This sort of aggressive accelerating in weapons testing by Pyongyang has sparked alarm in the region. The United States, South Korea and Japan responded with missile launches and joint military exercises. The United States and South Korea began previously scheduled large-scale military exercises called “Vigilant Storm.” These involve 240 aircraft and “thousands of service members” from both countries. US Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin would meet with his South Korean counterpart Lee Jong-sup at the Pentagon. In the opinion of experts, Kim Jong-un could be sending across a message of sorts. The United Nations’ nuclear watchdog warned last week that Pyongyang could be preparing for a nuclear test – its first since 2017. This was because satellite imagery showed activity at its underground nuclear test site. Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida. He called for a National Security Council meeting on priority in view of rising tensions on the Korean Peninsula.

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The United States, Japan and South Korea warn North Korea about serious consequences of any nuclear test

The United States and its allies Japan and South Korea spoke in one voice and warned North Korea against any further nuclear test. They said any violation would warrant an "unprecedentedly strong response." The three vowed unity following launch of a number of missiles from the hermit kingdom. Foreign ministers of the three nations held talks in Tokyo and believe they could boost their deterrence in the region. South Korea's Cho Hyun-dong said - "We agreed to further strengthen cooperation ... so that North Korea can immediately stop its illegal activities and return to denuclearization talks.” He went on to explain to members of the media - "The three countries agreed on the need for an unprecedentedly strong response if North Korea proceeds with its seventh nuclear test." Seoul and Washington have repeatedly warned that Pyongyang could be close to testing an atomic bomb for the first time since 2017. This came after a number of launch of ballistic missiles. One of these flew over Japan last month. The North has separately claimed that it had carried out tactical nuclear drills. U.S. Deputy Secretary of State Wendy Sherman says – “All of this behavior is reckless and deeply destabilizing." She urged North Korea to "refrain from further provocations." North Korea put on notice: Nuclear test would draw "unprecedentedly strong" response.

According to a section of the media, Sherman laid stress on the fact that the commitment of the U.S. to the security of South Korea and Japan is "ironclad.” She went on to add that the U.S. would "use the full range of U.S. defense capabilities to defend our allies, including nuclear, conventional and missile defense capabilities." Incidentally, last month Kim Jong-un, the leader of North Korea had declared the country an "irreversible" nuclear power, effectively ending negotiations over his banned arms programs. He had met three times with President Biden's predecessor Donald Trump. It did reduce tensions but did not result in any lasting agreement. The country has also shown little interest in taking up President Biden's offer of working-level talks.

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Tensions increase between North and South Korea with exchange of warning shots off their western coast

North and South Korea accused each other of breaching their maritime border. They exchanged warning shots off their western coast and led to heightened tensions because of the weapons tests conducted by Pyongyang. Joint Chiefs of Staff (JCS) of South Korea explained that it broadcast warnings and did fire warning shots. The purpose was to repel a merchant vessel of North Korea that crossed the Northern Limit Line (NLL). This is a de facto sea boundary. The North, on its part, said its military fired 10 rounds of artillery warning shots towards its territorial waters. It was because it had detected “naval enemy movement.” It also accused a naval ship of South Korea of intruding into the waters of North Korea on the pretext of cracking down on an unidentified ship. the North Korean People’s Army said - “We ordered initial countermeasures to strongly expel the enemy warship by firing 10 shells of multiple rocket launchers near the waters where the enemy movement occurred.” This was as per the official KCNA news agency. Two Koreas exchange warning shots near sea border amid tensions.

JCS said the actions by North Korea breached a 2018 inter-Korean accord on reducing military animosities and undermined stability on the Korean Peninsula. It also said the shells fired by the North did not land in the waters of South Korea but did boost its military readiness. In this case, there were no reports of clashes. However, the poorly marked sea boundary off the Korean Peninsula’s west coast has always been a source of long-running animosities between the two Koreas. It witnessed a number of bloody inter-Korean naval skirmishes and violence in recent years. These included the shelling of a South Korean navy ship that killed 50 people in 2010. In recent weeks, Pyongyang has launched short-range ballistic missiles and hundreds of artillery rounds off its east and west coasts on a number of occasions to protest over the military activities of its southern neighbor. A professor at Ewha University in Seoul cautioned, “Pyongyang’s politics of blaming external threats and projecting confidence in military capabilities can motivate greater risk taking. Actions of this nature could give rise to a serious exchange of fire and unintended escalation.

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North Korea fires hundreds of artillery shells in retaliation to annual defense drills of the South

South Korea conducted its annual defense drills. The aim of such drills is to boost its ability to respond to nuclear and missile threats of Pyongyang. This has not gone down well with the North. It retaliated by firing hundreds of artillery shells off its eastern and western coasts and said the shells did not land in South Korean territorial waters. They instead fell inside maritime buffer zones the two Koreas established under a 2018 inter-Korean agreement aimed at reducing front-line animosities. This is the second such incident. North Korea carried out a similar exercise recently in direct violation of the 2018 agreement. South Korea’s Joint Chiefs of Staff (JCS) confirmed this. He said that North Korea fired some 250 shells of its eastern and western coasts late on Tuesday and launched an additional 100 rounds, starting at around midday on Wednesday. In a statement he said - “We strongly urge North Korea to immediately halt its actions. North Korea’s continued provocations are actions that undermine peace and stability of the Korean Peninsula and the international community.” N Korea fires artillery shells in ‘grave warning’ to Seoul.

A spokesperson for the North Korean People’s Army (KPA) explained that the purpose of firing the shots was designed to send a “grave warning” to South Korea in response to its own artillery training. These took place earlier in an eastern border region. Seoul did not immediately confirm this. The Hoguk drills of the South are due to end soon. These are the latest in a series of military exercises conducted in recent weeks and include joint activities with the United States and Japan. Incidentally, the artillery tests of the North attracts less outside attention than its missile launches. However, its forward-deployed long-range artillery guns pose a serious security threat to the populous metropolitan region of its neighbor. This is because its location is about 25 to 30 miles from the border with North Korea and a matter of concern.

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Kim Jong-un supervised long-range cruise missile tests to demonstrate Pyongyang's readiness for "actual war"

North Korea's official Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) reports that its leader Kim Jong-un supervised long-range cruise missile tests. He described them as a demonstration of his country’s readiness for "actual war." The two missiles flew for nearly three hours and showed their ability to strike targets roughly around 1,250 miles away. The agency said the test was conducted to improve the "combat efficiency and might" of long-range strategic cruise missiles "for the operation of tactical nukes." The leader of North Korea said his country's nuclear forces were prepared for "actual war to bring enemies under their control at a blow." He described his weapons systems as "mobile, precise and powerful." He went on to clarify that the missile tests send "another clear warning to enemies." Moreover, he said North Korea would "resolutely deter any crucial military crisis and war crisis at any time and completely take the initiative in it." North Korea's Kim Jong Un supervises cruise missile test.

North Korea has launched 12 ballistic missiles in a span of two weeks through October 9. One of these flew over Japan. Authorities in Pyongyang said the tests were a warning to the South and the US for staging joint naval exercises that including a US aircraft carrier. North Korea called these drills "dangerous." It seems the parliament of the North passed a law giving permission for preemptive use of nuclear weapons against these countries in the event of an attack on the leadership of North Korea. Pyongyang added that it would surrender its nuclear arsenal only if there were global disarmament. This would come as a big blow to those who still nurse hopes of negotiating Pyongyang's disarmament individually. Officials in South Korea do not rule out possibilities of the North conducting a nuclear test in the coming months.

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North Korea declares itself as a nuclear weapons state

Kim Jong-un described the decision of declaring itself as a nuclear weapons state ‘irreversible.’ He also ruled out any possibility of reopening talks on denuclearization. The law emphasizes the country's right to go in for a pre-emptive nuclear strike to protect itself. During the tenure of Donald Trump as the president of the United States, there were talks on this subject but Donald and Kim could not arrive at an acceptable solution. Later, the Joe Biden administration tried to reopen the subject but there has not been much progress. In spite of facing crippling international sanctions, the North carried out six nuclear tests between 2006 and 2017. North Korea declares itself a nuclear weapons state. Pyongyang has continued to increase its military capability. This was a breach of United Nations Security Council resolutions. It meant threat to its neighbors and possibilities of bringing the United States mainland within striking range.

Incidentally, Kim Jong-un conducted long-range launches and nuclear tests in 2019. There were summits with the then US president Donald Trump that grabbed headlines but provided no result. Talks between the countries have since stalled. The Biden administration indicated its willingness to talk. It has reviewed its North Korea policy last year and reiterated that "complete denuclearisation" of the Korean peninsula was the goal. President Biden indicated he would pursue it with a mix of diplomacy and "stern deterrence." To this, Kim Jong-un said his country must prepare for both "dialogue and confrontation."

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North Korean nuclear threat prompts the US and South Korea to undertake the Ulchi Freedom Shield exercises. These are their biggest combined military training in years and will continue through 1 September in South Korea. It will cover field exercises and involve aircraft, warships, tanks and tens of thousands of troops. North Korea describes these exercises as rehearsals for an invasion. Pyongyang has raised the pace of its weapons testing activity and has been simultaneously threatening conflicts with Seoul and Washington. There is a long state of stalemate in diplomacy. Incidentally, a spokesperson of the Unification Ministry of South Korea says there is no immediate signs of any unusual activities from the North. The Unification Ministry handles inter-Korean affairs. US and South Korea begin biggest military training in years amid growing North Korean nuclear threat. The United States and South Korea already canceled some of their regular drills in recent times in order to create space for diplomacy with North Korea apart from concerns associated with COVID-19.

Last week, North Korea rejected South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol's offer to exchange denuclearization steps and economic benefits. To this, Kim Yo Jong described the proposal as foolish. She also stressed the North did not have any intention to barter away an arsenal her brother apparently sees as his strongest guarantee of survival. She is the increasingly powerful sister of North Korean leader Kim Jong-un. She heaped criticism on Yoon Suk Yeol and the military exercises with the US. moreover, she also blamed him for the failure to stop South Korean civilian activists from using balloons to send anti-Pyongyang propaganda leaflets across the border. There are worries in certain quarters that the threats might end up in something worse like a nuclear or missile test or even border skirmishes.

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Kim Jong-Un plans to send a message to Donald Trump by launching a missile

Kim Jong-Un of North Korea plans to send a message to Donald Trump by testing another missile. It would be a high-profile launch and it would coincide with the inauguration of Donald Trump as US President on Friday. As per a news report, two new missiles had been loaded onto mobile launchers.
These missiles are believed to be equipped with new engines that North Korea had tested last April, when Pyongyang said they would 'guarantee' an eventual nuclear strike on the US mainland.
Incidentally, Donald Trump has said that he would be willing to invite Kim to the United States to discuss the nuclear issue and hoped that he could talk Kim out of his nuclear missile affairs.
This has been reported in dailymail.co.uk dated 19 January 2017.

The existence of the missiles has apparently been leaked by Pyongyang in order to send a 'strategic message' to incoming US president Donald Trump who is to be sworn in on Friday. Kim Jong-Un has recently stated that his country was in the final stages of developing inter-continental ballistic missiles.
The satellite images of the Yongbyon nuclear facility has revealed that preparations had been taking place which would suggest that North Koreans were about to resume production of plutonium.
The Pentagon has already deployed a high-tech sea-based X-band radar system which will maintain a watch for a possible launch of a North Korean long-range missile.


Image courtesy wikimediacommons.org

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North Korea plans to carry out terror attacks on South Korea

It is believed that North Korean leader Kim Jong-un has ordered terror attacks to be carried out on South Koreans and these could happen in busy shopping malls, subways and other public places. It is feared that Kim Jong-Un could also target activists and defectors with poisoning attacks or entice them to go to China and kidnap them from there.
This has been reported in dailymail.co.uk dated 18 February 2016.

The information on the terror warnings have apparently emerged in a briefing that was given by South Korea's National Intelligence Service to members of the country's ruling Saenuri Party. Presidential aide Kim Sung-woo has added a rejoinder that the possibility of North Korean attacks 'is increasing more than ever'.
North Korea has attacked South Korea in the past - like in 2010 it carried out shelling on an island that killed four South Koreans and in 1987 it was the bombing of a South Korean passenger plane in which 115 were killed.
The present terror attacks could target anti-Pyongyang activists, defectors and government officials apart from attacks on subways, shopping malls and other public places.
From all accounts, the current standoff between the two Koreas may not ease soon because Seoul and Washington are discussing deployment of sophisticated U.S. missile defense system in South Korea. Pyongyang warns that such an action would be a source of regional tension.
Moreover, Seoul and Washington have indicated that their annual springtime military drills will be the largest ever with involvement of nearly 15,000 U.S. troops - this would be double of the number Washington normally sends. And, in the opinion of North, these drills are preparation for a northward invasion.


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Chinese experts believe North Korea could have more than 20-nuclear warheads

#northkorea #nuclearwarheads #china #pyongyang #KimJongUn As per US estimates, North Korea has 10 nuclear warheads but, Chinese nuclear experts believe that North Korea actually has over 20 and have predicted that its stockpile of weapons could grow to 50 or even 100 within five years. This has been reported in dailymail.co.uk dated 24 April 2015.

The Chinese experts have also cautioned that North Korea may also have the capability to produce enough weapons-grade uranium to double its arsenal by next year. Obviously, this revised estimates of Pyongyang's nuclear production is as per the Chinese and has been passed on to US nuclear specialists. The previous US forecasts was of between 10 to 16 bombs.
Incidentally, experts at the US-Korea Institute at Johns Hopkins University's School of Advanced International Studies have revealed that North Korea has conducted three nuclear detonations, the latest one being in February 2013.
It may be recalled that US Admiral William Gortney, commander of the US Northern Command and North American Aerospace Defense Command, had indicated that the US military believes North Korea has the ability to miniaturize a warhead and mount it on a ballistic missile. Of course, there had been no tests carried out. And, one such rocket is an intercontinental missile. Theoretically, it could strike California since it has been designed to carry a payload of more than 5,000 miles.
Kim Jong-Un has kept the whole world on tenterhooks as far as his country’s nuclear programs – he has kept everyone guessing because last month Hyun Hak-bong, the country's ambassador to the UK, had issued a threat that North Korea would be prepared to use nuclear weapons. He had claimed that the secretive state could launch a deadly warhead 'anytime'.