Kim Wants Military to Boost Its Strike Capabilities

US officials say missile tests won't threaten talks

North Korean leader Kim Jong Un has ordered his military to boost its striking capability, according to a report in North Korea’s state media. This appears to have fueled recent short-range missile test fires.

Last Saturday, North Korea fired a series of short-range missiles, and fired two more on Thursday. The test firing was done off the east coast, and into the water. South Korea has speculated that the tests were protest for the recent diplomatic failure.

State media said Kim was emphasizing the capabilities of defense units deployed on the western front, and that he wanted to make sure that they were ready to cope with any military emergencies.

US officials are largely downplaying the test firings. President Trump said “nobody’s happy about it,” but said that it would not impact negotiations. He did, however, say he doesn’t think North Korea is “ready to negotiate.”

Author: Jason Ditz

Jason Ditz is Senior Editor for Antiwar.com. He has 20 years of experience in foreign policy research and his work has appeared in The American Conservative, Responsible Statecraft, Forbes, Toronto Star, Minneapolis Star-Tribune, Providence Journal, Washington Times, and the Detroit Free Press.