Analysts say that based on the current evidence it’s hard to prove or debunk North Korea’s claim that it can now hit faraway American targets such as New York.
SEOUL, South Korea — North Korean leader Kim Jong Un used his New Year’s Day address to warn the U. S. not to test him while striking a softer tone with South Korea, including the possibility of sending a delegation to next month’s Winter Olympics.
“The entire United States is within range of our nuclear weapons, a nuclear button is always on my desk. This is reality, not a threat,” Kim said in the annual address. “This year, we should focus on mass-producing nuclear warheads and ballistic missiles for operational deployment. These weapons will be used only if our society is threatened.”
In September, North Korea conducted its sixth and most powerful nuclear test. Pyongyang tested a total of 23 missiles last year, including 15 that were nuclear-capable. The November launch of which appeared to be an intercontinental ballistic missile, or ICBM, flew farther than any of Kim’s previous tests. The North claimed it could reach anywhere in the mainland U. S.
Analysts say that based on the current evidence it’s hard to prove or debunk North Korea’s claim that it can now hit faraway American targets such as New York or Washington, D. C.
Kim’s regime has yet to prove publicly that it’s able to put a small enough warhead on a missile that wouldn’t impede its flight. It’s also unclear whether North Korea has developed a vehicle capable of protecting a warhead from intense heat upon reentering the atmosphere.
However, experts say North Korea’s capabilities shouldn’t be discounted.
“Even though the ICBM technology may be somewhat incomplete, Kim is asserting that because he has a nuclear deterrent, the U. S. should not make military threats but engage with North Korea towards peaceful co-existence,” said Dr.
