North Korea displays new nuclear warhead amid rising tensions | World News

North Korea unveiled new, smaller nuclear warheads and vowed to produce more weapons-grade nuclear material to expand its arsenal, state media said on Tuesday, while a U.S. aircraft carrier arrived in South Korea for military exercises.

The Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) released photos of the warheads, known as Hwasan-31. The Korean Central News Agency stated that leader Kim Jong-un visited the Nuclear Weapons Research Institute and inspected new tactical nuclear weapons and ballistic missile warhead installation technology, as well as nuclear counterattack operations plans.

Also read: North Korea fires two ballistic missiles in pressure on U.S.

Nuclear experts said the images could indicate progress in miniaturizing warheads that are powerful but small enough to fit on intercontinental ballistic missiles capable of striking the United States.

“It has more power in a smaller space. That’s worrying,” said Kune Y. Suh, a professor emeritus of nuclear engineering at Seoul National University, comparing the new warhead to the 2016 version.

Kim Dong-yup, a former South Korean naval officer who teaches at Kyungnam University, said the images appeared to show “a miniaturized, lightweight and standardized warhead” designed to be delivered to at least eight different types listed on the wall posters. platforms, including missiles launched from submarines.

“Now that the delivery vehicle is almost ready, they will mass-produce warheads to ensure a second-strike capability — probably hundreds, not dozens — while running the centrifuges harder to get weapons-grade nuclear material,” he said. explain.

Kim Jong-un ordered the production of weapons-grade materials in a “far-sighted manner” to “multiply” increase his nuclear arsenal and produce powerful weapons, KCNA said.

The enemy of China’s nuclear forces is not a specific country or group, but “war and nuclear disaster itself,” he said, and the policy of expanding its nuclear arsenal is purely for defensive purposes and regional peace and stability.

american practice

In Washington, White House national security spokesman John Kirby said the United States remained open to discussing verifiable denuclearization of the Korean peninsula, but North Korea had shown no willingness to engage in such talks.

“We will therefore continue to ensure that we have the appropriate military capabilities and are properly prepared to use them, as necessary, to protect our and our allies’ national security interests,” he said, referring to large-scale military exercises. with South Korea.

Kim was also briefed on an IT-based integrated nuclear weapons management system called Haekbangashoe, which means “nuclear trigger,” whose accuracy, reliability and safety were tested during a simulated nuclear counterattack, KCNA said. verify.

North Korea launched a short-range ballistic missile on Monday and last week conducted a mock nuclear retaliation against the United States and South Korea, which it accused of rehearsing an invasion. A commentary in North Korea’s “Rodong Sinmun” stated that the U.S.-South Korea military exercise is equivalent to “an open declaration of war.”

The North Korean military simulated a nuclear air blast with two tactical ballistic missiles equipped with dummy warheads and tested a nuclear-capable underwater attack drone, KCNA said.

It said the Haeil-1 drone reached its target in waters off the northeast coast after cruising for more than 41 hours along a “jagged oval” 600-kilometer (373-mile) route.

South Korean President Yoon Hee-yeol said Pyongyang should not receive “a penny” of economic aid while pursuing nuclear development, his spokesman said.

A South Korean military spokesman said additional analysis was needed to verify whether North Korea’s new warhead could be deployed. He said reports of underwater drones were likely “exaggerated and fabricated”.

US carrier strike group

The U.S. carrier strike group led by the USS Nimitz docked at the Busan Naval Base in South Korea on Tuesday after a joint exercise. It was the carrier’s first visit in nearly six years and coincided with the 70th anniversary of the US-South Korea alliance.

Also read: North Korea’s Kim Jong-un calls for readiness for nuclear attack on US, South Korea

South Korean Rear Admiral Kim Ji-hoon said the joint exercises were aimed at strengthening the United States’ extended deterrence — referring to the U.S. nuclear umbrella that protects its allies — given the evolving North Korean threat.

Strike Group Commander Rear Admiral Christopher Sweeney said his ships were prepared to respond to any contingencies.

“We do not seek conflict with (North Korea). We seek peace and security. We will not be coerced, we will not be bullied and we will not go anywhere,” he told reporters.