Pyongyang: North Korea has confirmed on Saturday via state-run media that its leader Kim Jong-un has supervised a “strike drill” testing various missile components.
“A number of short-range projectiles” were also fired from the Hodo peninsula into the Sea of Japan on Saturday.
North Korea’s leader gave the order of firing in order to “increase the combat ability” of the nation, the announcement stated, according to the BBC reports on Sunday.
United States President Donald Trump took it to Twitter and expressed he believed Kim would not jeopardize the path towards better relations.
Trump tweeted: Anything in this very interesting world is possible, but I believe that Kim Jong Un fully realizes the great economic potential of North Korea, & will do nothing to interfere or end it. He also knows that I am with him & does not want to break his promise to me. Deal will happen!”
Anything in this very interesting world is possible, but I believe that Kim Jong Un fully realizes the great economic potential of North Korea, & will do nothing to interfere or end it. He also knows that I am with him & does not want to break his promise to me. Deal will happen!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) May 4, 2019
Trump walked away from what he described as a bad deal offered by Kim Jong-un at a summit meeting in Hanoi in February.
In its report on Sunday, the Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) reported Kim had stressed the need to “defend the political sovereignty and economic self-sustenance” of the country in the face of threat and invasion.
The aim of the drill, which was testing “large-caliber long-range multiple rocket launchers”, was to “inspect the operating ability and the accuracy of striking duty performance,” the report said.
Kim told troops to bear in mind “the iron truth that genuine peace and security are ensured and guaranteed only by powerful strength”.
It is believed that Saturday’s test is intended to increase pressure on Washington to move nuclear talks forward.
Last month, North Korea said it had tested what it described as a new “tactical guided weapon”. That was the first test since the Hanoi summit.
If confirmed that missiles were launched on Saturday, this would be the most serious test since North Korea fired an intercontinental ballistic missile in November 2017.
Firing a short-range missile would not violate North Korea’s promise not to test long-range or nuclear missiles.
Also read: North Korea launches short-range missiles into East Sea: South Korea