North Korea’s Kim Jong Un unveils 250 new tactical ballistic missile launchers

SEOUL: North Korean troops received a new tactical ballistic missile system on August 4, the country’s state media KCNA has reported. North Korean leader Kim Jong Un oversaw the delivery of the ballistic missile system at a ceremonial event in Pyongyang, Yonhap news agency said quoting KCNA.

The 250 new tactical ballistic missile launchers, which serves as ‘pivot military hardware’ were unveiled, according to Korean Central News Agency. Photos released by KCNA suggest that the weapon system is the ‘Hwasong-11’ launcher, which is expected to be deployed in the military demarcation line area with South Korea, Yonhap said.

In his speech to military troops at the event, Kim said US-led alliance has changed into a military bloc based on nuclear power and that Pyongyang will have enhanced nuclear readiness to deter nuclear threats and protect itself to respond to any challenges.

The ceremony also comes North Korea suffers from recent floods. In July this year, North Korea had said that it test fired its new tactical missile that followed the ‘Freedom Edge’ military drills staged by the United States, South Korea and Japan.

In June this year joint statement the United States, Japan and South Korea issued a joint statement that “strongly opposed” any unilateral attempts to change the status quo in the Indo-Pacific waters and “strongly condemned” North Korea’s launches using ballistic missile technology.

The statement was issued followed a meeting of US Deputy Secretary of State Kurt Campbell with Japan’s Vice Foreign Minister Masataka Okano and South Korea’s Vice Foreign Minister Kim Hong Kyun in Little Washington, Virginia.

At the Quad meeting in July Australia, India, the United States and Japan issued a joint statement condemning the condemn the actions that Pyongyang takes in violation of UN Security Council resolutions, according to the joint statement.

“We condemn North Korea’s destabilizing launches using ballistic missile technology and its continued pursuit of nuclear weapons in violation of multiple UN Security Council resolutions (UNSCRs). We express our grave concern over North Korea’s use of proliferation [of nuclear weapons] linkages, malicious cyber activity and [the use of] workers abroad to fund its unlawful weapons of mass destruction and ballistic missile programs,” the statement read.

Meanwhile, during the June 19 Russian President Vladimir Putin’s visit to Pyongyang, Russia and North Korea signed a Comprehensive Strategic Partnership Treaty, which stipulates immediate military assistance in the event of an attack on either party. (ANI)