North Korea Nuclear Warhead Test: Are We Moving Closer Toward World War 3?
The leader of North Korea, Kim Jong-un, is increasing his rhetoric about using nuclear weapons against the United States and South Korea. According to reports, North Korea will soon be testing a nuclear warhead along with ballistic missile tests on missiles that could carry a nuclear warhead as its payload. According to the Korean Central News Agency of DPRK, Kim Jong-un made the comments about testing this warhead while he was watching a simulation of ballistic missile re-entry in which the “thermodynamic structural stability of newly-developed heat-resisting materials” was analyzed.
“Declaring that a nuclear warhead explosion test and a test-fire of several kinds of ballistic rockets able to carry nuclear warheads will be conducted in a short time to further enhance the reliance of nuclear attack capability, he (Kim) instructed the relevant section to make prearrangement for them to the last detail.”
This new threat from Kim Jong-un and the country’s nuclear arsenal comes during a time where tension between the Koreas and the United States is extremely high. Yearly military drills and training are currently ongoing with the South Korea and the United States. Jong-un views these military drills as an act of provocation. The National Defense Commission of North Korea issued a statement when this year’s military drills started.
“As the joint military exercises to be staged by the enemies are regarded as the most undisguised nuclear war drills aimed to infringe upon the sovereignty of the DPRK, its military counteraction will be more preemptive and offensive nuclear strike to cope with them.”
The rhetoric from Kim Jong-un normally increases when these drills are taking place, but these threats hold much more weight due to recent successful tests by the communist regime. Recently, North Korea claimed they successfully launched a satellite into space, and they also claimed to have successfully tested a hydrogen bomb. Last week, Kim Jong-un threatened a preemptive nuclear strike on the United States due to the military exercises going on in South Korea. North Korean Army General Kang Pyo Yong announced to a North Korean crowd what their plan is to destroy Washington.
“Intercontinental ballistic missiles and various other missiles, which have already set their striking targets, are now armed with lighter, smaller and diversified nuclear warheads and are placed on a standby status. When we shell (the missiles), Washington, which is the stronghold of evils… will be engulfed in a sea of fire.”
After the variety of tests conducted by Jong-un’s regime over the last few months, the United Nations issued a new resolution that increases the amount of sanctions that have already been placed on the isolated country.
Intelligence reports from the United States are claiming that the north does not have the knowledge or capability to successfully miniaturize a nuclear warhead that would be delivered by a ballistic missile. There are also many doubts that Jong-un’s military has the ability to launch an intercontinental ballistic missile capable of hitting the western portion of the United States, let alone Washington, D.C. South Korea, though, is in range. Even though the missile capabilities of North Korea is in question, the United States still issued a statement urging caution.
“We urge North Korea to refrain from provocative actions and statements that aggravate tensions and instead focus on fulfilling its international obligations and commitments. We are closely monitoring the situation on the Korean Peninsula in coordination with our Republic of Korea allies.”
Do you think North Korea has the ability to attach a nuclear warhead to an ICBM and could hit the United States?
[Photo by Ahn Young-joon/AP]
