“Must be ready at all times”
North Korea wants to ramp up nuclear weapons production
03/28/2023 8:26 am
Kim Jong-un plans to significantly increase North Korea’s nuclear arsenal. In view of the intensified conflict with South Korea, his country must be ready at any time to use the weapons, says the head of state. Weapons experts are concerned.
North Korean leader Kim Jong-un has unveiled new, smaller nuclear warheads and wants to ramp up production of weapons-grade nuclear material. The country must be ready to use the weapons at any time, state news agency KCNA quoted Kim as inspecting the country’s nuclear weapons program. He ordered the production of weapons-grade material in a “far-sighted manner” to “exponentially” increase his nuclear arsenal and produce powerful weapons.
The expansion of the North Korean arsenal serves solely to defend the country and to promote peace and stability in the region. KCNA released photos of the warheads named Hwasan-31. Experts say the images could indicate advances in miniaturizing warheads that are powerful yet small enough to be mounted on ICBMs capable of reaching the US. “It has a bit more power in a smaller space. … That’s worrying,” said Kune Y. Suh, professor emeritus of nuclear engineering at Seoul National University, after a 2016 warhead comparison.
Pyongyang accuses South Korea of plans to attack
Kim also toured new tactical nuclear weapons and technology for mounting warheads on ballistic missiles, as well as plans for nuclear counterattacks. He was also briefed on an IT-based integrated nuclear weapons management system, the accuracy, reliability and safety of which were checked during recent nuclear counterattack simulation exercises, KCNA reported.
North Korea has stepped up military testing. On Monday, the closed-off country fired short-range ballistic missiles, and last week it also tested strategic underwater weapons and simulated a nuclear counter-strike against the United States and South Korea. The government in Pyongyang has accused the two allies of planning an invasion with their joint military exercises.