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| North Korea's nuclear weapons: Here is what we know 31 Jan 2018 Here is what we know about North Korea's nuclear capabilities and motivation.Who is in range of its missiles? "The entire mainland of the US is within the range of our nuclear weapons and the nuclear button is always on the desk of my office," said North Korean leader Kim Jong-un during his 2018 New Year's address. The Hwasong-15, North Korea's furthest-reaching intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM), could theoretically travel about 13,000km. This potentially puts the whole world within range, except for: … for more, go to http://www.aljazeera.com/news/2017/05/north-korea-testing-nuclear-weapons-170504072226461.html |
Even China is worried and wary of nuclear-armed North Korea
It is not difficult to understand China’s logic in working with the US to step up the pressure on North Korea to give up its nuclear arms development programmes which are destabilising the Korean Peninsula - jittering South Korea and Japan.
North Korea has, thus far, never failed to:
> THREATEN the deployment of nuclear missiles against sovereign states, especially the US, for the flimsiest of excuse;
> CONTINUE to fire its rockets on the guise of conducting tests when its real aim is to instill fear on its neighbours, especially South Korea and Japan.
North Korea has thus painted its image as an aggressor who will not hesitate to use nuclear arms against its "foes" and also as an erratic nuclear power nation.
China, is thus, forced to be cautious with its support for North Korea’s nuclear programmes. Who wouldn’t feel uneasy or unsafe with such a nuclear power neighbour?
I Love Malaysia-China Silk Road reiterates that it would do well for North Korea to stop agitating the US and the rest of the world.
It should focus its attention on socio-economic development for North Koreans and stop worrying about military aggression.
The US just cannot afford to attack North Korea according to its whims and fancies because the rest of the world is also watching.
In short, North Korea should stop being paranoid about military aggression against it and work on programmes and projects to improve the lives of North Koreans.
The following is a Reuters report on China reaffirming its commitment to pressure North Korea to give up its nuclear arms development programmes and another report on North Korea's show-off:
"U.S., China reaffirm commitment to pressure North Korea - State Department
WORLD
Friday, 9 Feb 2018
6:12 AM MYT
WASHINGTON (Reuters) - U.S. Secretary of State Rex Tillerson and China's top diplomat Yang Jiechi on Thursday reaffirmed their countries' commitment to exert pressure in Pyongyang over its nuclear weapons, the U.S. State Department said.
Yang was on a two-day visit to Washington that began on Thursday. His talks were also expected to cover the sensitive U.S.-China economic relationship after recent tit-for-tat actions that have raised fears of a trade war between the world's two largest economies.
"Both sides reaffirmed President Trump's and President Xi's commitment to keep up pressure on North Korea's illegal weapons and nuclear programs," State Department Spokeswoman Heather Nauert told a news briefing.
Nauert said Tillerson and Yang “agreed on the importance of continuing a constructive and productive relationship aimed at cooperation on mutual challenges and addressing our differences forthrightly."
"They discussed the need to achieve a fair and reciprocal bilateral economic relationship and shared approaches to stemming the flow of deadly narcotics," Nauert said, adding that the two looked forward to continuing discussions at an annual diplomatic and security dialogue in the first half of 2018.
Yang said at the start of his meeting with Tillerson that he would seek to "push forward our very important relationship."
Beijing and Washington share concerns about North Korea's development of nuclear missiles capable of hitting the United States.
China has backed successive rounds of U.N. sanctions on North Korea, but has been wary of U.S. efforts to toughen these further and has been accused by U.S. officials of not fully implementing existing U.N. steps.
"We expect, we hope that China will do more, because we know they can do more in terms of adhering to U.N. Security Council resolutions," Nauert said.
The latest trade data shows China's massive goods surplus with the United States narrowed last month, but not to the extent necessary to appease Washington.
"Our president has made very clear our concerns about trade imbalances," Nauert said.
U.S. President Donald Trump slapped steep tariffs on imported washing machines and solar panels last month and is considering recommendations on import restrictions for steel and aluminium or other trade sanctions against China over its intellectual property practices.
In response, at the weekend, China's commerce ministry launched an anti-dumping and anti-subsidy probe into imports of sorghum from the United States.
Tillerson upset Beijing last week when he accused China of behaving like an imperial power in Latin America.
China's Foreign Minister Wang Yi said earlier on Thursday that Beijing hoped North and South Korea could maintain the momentum of their current rapprochement and gradually open the door to peace.
Washington has welcomed a resumption of intra-Korean talks that has led to North Korea's participation in the Winter Olympics that open in South Korea on Friday.
But both the United States and North Korea have said they have no plans to meet during the Olympics, dampening hopes that the Games will help ease tensions.
(Reporting by David Brunnstrom, Arshad Mohammed, Mohammad Zargham and Katanga Johnson; Editing by Eric Beech and Susan Thomas)
North Korea stages show of force with new missiles during parade
WORLD
Friday, 9 Feb 2018
3:20 PM MYT
by hyonhee shin
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The parade, marking the 70th anniversary of the founding of the North Korean army, was attended by leader Kim Jong Un and other senior officials.
Usually held in April, the parade took place this year on the eve of the opening ceremony of the Winter Olympics being staged in the South Korean mountain resort of Pyeongchang, just across the heavily fortified border.
North Korean state media broadcast the parade, showing what appeared to be the Hwasong-14 and Hwasong-15 - the ICBMs test-launched last year for the first time.
The Hwasong-14 ICBM, successfully tested twice last year, also made its first appearance at the parade.
The event unveiled a new short-range missile, which is based on the Russian Iskander ballistic missile but also shares many features of South Korea's Hyunmoo-2 ballistic missile, according to Michael Elleman, a missile expert at the International Institute for Strategic Studies.
North Korea’s latest display of its military hardware focused on missiles and less on tanks and artillery, suggesting it was trying to project the image of a country with advanced capabilities in warfare.
A Reuters analysis shows there has been a gradual decline in conventional weapons on display since 2012, Kim Jong Un's first parade as leader, and a move to showcase more sophisticated weapons such as ballistic missiles.
(Reporting by Hyonhee Shin; Editing by Lincoln Feast)"
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