North Korea shows off new submarine-launched missiles after rare party congress

[rooster59]

North Korea shows off new submarine-launched missiles after rare party congress

By Josh Smith and Sangmi Cha

 

Military equipments are seen during a military parade to commemorate the 8th Congress of the Workers' Party in Pyongyang, North Korea January 14, 2021 in this photo supplied by North Korea's Central News Agency (KCNA). KCNA via REUTERS

 

SEOUL (Reuters) - North Korea displayed what appeared to be a new submarine-launched ballistic missile (SLBM) at a parade on Thursday night, state media reported, capping more than a week of political meetings with a show of military might.

 

Clad in a leather coat and fur hat, leader Kim Jong Un smiled and waved as he oversaw the parade in Pyongyang's Kim Il Sung Square, photos by state media showed.

 

The parade featured rows of marching soldiers, as well as a range of military hardware including tanks and rocket launchers.

At the end, a number of what analysts said appeared to be new variants of short-range ballistic missiles and SLBMs rolled into the square on trucks.

 

"The world's most powerful weapon, submarine-launch ballistic missiles, entered the square one after another, powerfully demonstrating the might of the revolutionary armed forces," news agency KCNA reported.

 

North Korea has test-fired several SLBMs from under water, and analysts say it is seeking to develop an operational submarine to carry the missiles.

 

Photos released by state media showed the SLBM was labelled Pukguksong-5, potentially marking an upgrade over the Pukguksong-4 that was unveiled at a larger military parade in October.

 

"The new missile definitely looks longer," Michael Duitsman, a researcher at the California-based James Martin Center for Nonproliferation Studies, said on Twitter.

 

Unlike that October parade, Thursday's event did not showcase North Korea's largest intercontinental ballistic missiles (ICBMs), which are believed to be able to deliver a nuclear warhead to anywhere in the United States.

 

The U.S. Department of Defense declined to comment. South Korea's government did not immediately comment on the parade, but the foreign ministry said its top nuclear envoy had discussed North Korea's recent moves with his counterpart in the United States.

 

POLITICAL MESSAGING

 

The parade in itself was not intended to be a provocation but was a worrying sign of Pyongyang's priorities, said Leif-Eric Easley, a professor at Ewha University in Seoul.

 

"The economy is severely strained from pandemic border closures, policy mismanagement and international sanctions," he said. "Despite or perhaps because of this, Kim Jong Un feels the need to devote scarce resources to another political-military display."

 

North Korean officials have been meeting in Pyongyang for the first party congress since 2016. Kim announced a new five-year plan to revitalise the economy in the face of crises caused by anti-coronavirus measures, natural disasters, and international sanctions over the nuclear and missile programmes.

 

Suh Kune-yull, a professor at Seoul National University who specializes in nuclear technology, said the range and the upgrade of the SLBM is not as important as the message Kim is trying to send by staging the congress and the military parade right before U.S. president-elect Joe Biden takes office.

 

“What’s more important is to note that this is the harbinger of resuming nuclear tests that were put off," he said. "The North is setting the stage before the Biden administration takes office."

 

North Korea has not tested a nuclear bomb or fired its longest-range ICBMs since 2017, but Kim has signalled he no longer feels bound by that self-imposed moratorium after denuclearisation talks with U.S. President Donald Trump stalled.

 

On Wednesday, Kim Yo Jong, the sister of Kim Jong Un and a member of the ruling party's Central Committee, called South Korea "top-class idiots" for monitoring signs of a parade in Pyongyang earlier this week.

 

(Reporting by Josh Smith and Sangmi Cha, Editing by Rosalba O'Brien and Raju Gopalakrishnan)

 

-- © Copyright Reuters 2021-01-16

 

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[Jeffr2]

Maybe they can name the missile MAGA.  It was developed under Trump's watch.  So much for stopping NK from developing weapons.  But he did have a few photo ops with the worlds worst dictator.

[Tug]

Just another failure for trump the professional failure imo were his genius lies in the fact he can bs so many to think he’s a success it’s to bad I hope the Biden administration does a 100%naval blockade and empowers the n Koreans to liberate themselves and reunite with the south that would be wonderful 

[Salerno]

29 minutes ago, Tug said:

...I hope the Biden administration does a 100%naval blockade and empowers the n Koreans to liberate themselves and reunite with the south...

 

Well that'd be one way to get Covid off the headlines, might eclipse the death toll though.

[Jeffr2]

32 minutes ago, Tug said:

Just another failure for trump the professional failure imo were his genius lies in the fact he can bs so many to think he’s a success it’s to bad I hope the Biden administration does a 100%naval blockade and empowers the n Koreans to liberate themselves and reunite with the south that would be wonderful 

Yeah, a united Korea would be fantastic.  Sadly, not sure China will allow that to happen.  They love NK as a barrier to SK and all the US troops there.  Which, IMHO, should come home.  NK is a toothless tiger.  Yes, they have nukes, but they'd be stupid to use them.  they'd be wiped out in minutes and little Kim knows that.

[PatOngo]

1 hour ago, rooster59 said:

short-range ballistic missiles

Aim them at China! 

[PatOngo]

17 minutes ago, Jeffr2 said:

Sadly, not sure China will allow that to happen.  They love NK as a barrier to SK and all the US troops there.

They love NK fishing grounds too, they have depleted their fish stocks!

[Phuketshrew]

2 hours ago, rooster59 said:

North Korea has test-fired several SLBMs from under water, and analysts say it is seeking to develop an operational submarine to carry the missiles.

North Korea hab missile, no hab subs.

Thailand hab subs, no hab missiles. 

I sense an opportunity here for Thailand's space program ....

[ezzra]

I wouldn't put anything passed this hermit nation and its tyrant ruler, they will go to any length to show off to ward off any ideas their enemies might have, other then that, N. Korea is a useless worthless country to the rest of the world...

[Patong2021]

1 hour ago, PatOngo said:

Aim them at China! 

 With North Korea expertise and build quality very likely that  they land in China even if fired at USA.

The dictator looked very plump in the news report I saw. With his diabetes and obesity he may die sooner than expected.

[Dagfinnur Traustason]

Not to worry Mr. Kim. President Biden will soon float you boat with sanctions that you never heard of before.

[Iron Tongue]

10 hours ago, Jeffr2 said:

Maybe they can name the missile MAGA.  It was developed under Trump's watch.  So much for stopping NK from developing weapons.  But he did have a few photo ops with the worlds worst dictator.

 

Those aren't missiles.  Those are missile containers which may or may not contain missiles.  But with Lil' Kim in attendance, there is very little chance of anything explosive being present.

 

And contrary to your ignorant rambling, North Korea tested their sub-launched missiles back in 2016 -when Obama was president.

[ExpatOK]

14 hours ago, Jeffr2 said:

Maybe they can name the missile MAGA.  It was developed under Trump's watch.  So much for stopping NK from developing weapons.  But he did have a few photo ops with the worlds worst dictator.

Hey, get over it already. Your boy joseph will be installed as president in the next few days. Forget about Trump. Listen to some of joseph's inspiring campaign speeches. Time to stop letting Trump live in your head rent free. You'll be glad you did.

[Jeffr2]

11 hours ago, ExpatOK said:

Hey, get over it already. Your boy joseph will be installed as president in the next few days. Forget about Trump. Listen to some of joseph's inspiring campaign speeches. Time to stop letting Trump live in your head rent free. You'll be glad you did.

Biden was not my #1 pick.  But a tin can would be better than Trump, as has been proven.

 

Biden's speeches are WAY better than liar Trump's.  Impossible to compare the two.

 

Sadly, Trump isn't going away anytime soon.  He can't live unless he's in the spotlight.  But yes, when he's gone, the world will be a better place.

[sometime]

But are they the real thing

[sammieuk1]

Intercontinental burger delivery has come a long way ????

[KhunKenAP]

Hope Prayut does not see this and order some of his submarines.

[transam]

Hmmm, could be another sub order for the Chinese, or LOS may rent one of their's out, well, just to keep the cobwebs out, and stop the valves sticking eh......

[Rimmer]

A troll post and reply have been removed also a flame