North Korea's Kim Jong Un says new tactical weapon is display of 'defence capabilities to the whole region'

Kim Jong Un inspecting a construction site in an undated photo released on Oct 31, 2018.PHOTO: REUTERS

SEOUL (REUTERS) -  North Korean leader Kim Jong Un inspected the testing of a newly developed tactical weapon, calling it “another display of our rapidly-growing defence capabilities to the whole region,” North Korean state media said on Friday (Nov 16).

"This result today is a justification of the party’s policy focused on defence science and technology, another display of our rapidly-growing defence capabilities to the whole region, and a groundbreaking change in strengthening our military’s combat capabilities,” Mr Kim said.

KCNA said the test was successful. Mr Kim said that the weapons system tested was one that his father, Kim Jong Il, was especially interested during his lifetime and led the development of personally.


The report was  the first mention by the North's state media of a new development in weapons in months.

North Korea has not tested a nuclear weapon or ballistic missile since last year. In public Kim has focused almost entirely on visits to economic rather than military projects.

"The state-of-the art weapon that has been long developed under the leadership of our party's dynamic leadership has a meaning of completely safeguarding our territory and significantly improving the combat power of our people's army," Yonhap cited North Korea’s Korea Central Broadcasting Station (KCBS) as reporting.

This is Kim's first field visit to a testing site since his unprecedented summit with United States President Donald Trump in June, when the two leaders agreed to work towards denuclearisation and peace on the Korean peninsula, and to establish new relations between the United States and North Korea.


The agreement was short on specifics, and negotiations have made little headway since, however.