North Korea is set to increase production of solid-fuel rocket engines and warhead tips, state media report. The US has just praised the North for refraining from provocations amid drills in the region with ally South Korea.<\/b>
\nNorth Korean leader Kim Jong-un ordered production to be boosted while inspecting a chemical institute on Wednesday, KCNA state media and Rodong Sinmun report. He wants the facility \u201cto produce more solid-fuel rocket engines and rocket warhead tips by further expanding engine production process and the production capacity of rocket warhead tips and engine jets, \u201d according to North Korean media, citing Kim Jong-un.
The media released photos of Kim visiting the plant and examining the manufacturing process. Some pictures reportedly feature \u201cone or possibly two new missiles, \u201d according to AP. After analyzing the diagrams hanging on a wall behind the leader, the agency reported that they were related to the Pukguksong-3 missile, \u201cwhich appears to be the latest in its Pukguksong, or Polaris, series.\u201d The other rocket \u201cwas harder to discern, though it carried a \u2018Hwasong,\u2019 or Mars, designation, \u201d AP\u00a0 reports .
The announcement nearly coincided with US President Donald Trump and Secretary of State Rex Tillerson praising Pyongyang\u2019s restraint. North Korea has not launched any missiles since two July tests.
\u201cI respect the fact that he is starting to respect us, \u201d Trump said, referring to Kim Jong-un. \u201cAnd maybe \u2013 probably not, but maybe \u2013 something positive can come about, \u201d he told supporters.
Secretary of State Tillerson was optimistic over the recent absence of \u201cprovocative acts.\u201d
\u201cWe hope that this is the beginning of this signal that we\u2019 ve been looking for \u2013 that they are ready to restrain their level of tensions, they\u2019 re ready to restrain their provocative acts, and that perhaps we are seeing our pathway to sometime in the near future having some dialogue, \u201d Tillerson said on Tuesday.
Meanwhile, the US and South Korea are holding massive joint drills \u2013 Ulchi-Freedom Guardian \u2013 on the Korean Peninsula. Pyongyang has repeatedly warned the US to refrain from any military drills in the region, saying that the maneuvers pose a threat to its security. The US\u00a0 says \u00a0the drills are designed to enhance readiness and protect the region.
Just one day after the drills kicked off, Pyongyang refused to negotiate on its nuclear deterrence, as what it called \u201can aggressive war scenario\u201d targets North Korea and its leadership, according to North Korean diplomat Ju Yong-\u0441hol, who addressed the UN disarmament forum on Tuesday.
North Korea has \u201ccompleted the preparation\u201d to strike the US base in Guam, Jin Jong-hyop, a representative of the North Korean Embassy in Russia, told Sputnik. It had earlier threatened to strike, but eventually postponed it and decided to watch the US\u2019 behavior before making a decision.
Trump called North Korea\u2019s decision not to follow through with its threat against Guam \u201cvery wise, \u201d saying the consequences would be \u201ccatastrophic and unacceptable.\u201d
Russia has repeatedly called on both Washington and Pyongyang to refrain from provocations amid increasing tensions on the Korean Peninsula. Together with China, it has proposed a «double freeze» initiative, suggesting the Americans and South Korea freeze military exercises in the area, while North Korea freezes missile tests.<\/p>\n