{"id":2665,"date":"2022-12-28T11:15:37","date_gmt":"2022-12-28T11:15:37","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/londonpost.news\/?p=2665"},"modified":"2023-03-23T18:53:32","modified_gmt":"2023-03-23T18:53:32","slug":"2665-2","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/brusselsindependent.com\/be\/analysis\/defense\/2665-2\/2022\/12\/28\/admin1\/","title":{"rendered":"North Korea plans to further build up its military strength next year"},"content":{"rendered":"

SEOUL,<\/span> South<\/span> Korea<\/span> (AP)<\/span> December,28–<\/span> North<\/span> Korean<\/span> leader<\/span> Kim<\/span> Jong<\/span> Un<\/span> has<\/span> unveiled<\/span> new<\/span> plans<\/span> to<\/span> further<\/span> build<\/span> up<\/span> its<\/span> military<\/span> strength<\/span> next<\/span> year,<\/span> state<\/span> media<\/span> reported<\/span> Wednesday.<\/span>
\n<\/span>
\n<\/span>Kim’s<\/span> statement<\/span> came<\/span> as<\/span> hostilities<\/span> with<\/span> his<\/span> rival<\/span> South<\/span> Korea<\/span> surged<\/span> this<\/span> week,<\/span> with<\/span> South<\/span> Korea<\/span> accusing<\/span> North<\/span> Korea<\/span> of<\/span> \u200b\u200bflying<\/span> a<\/span> drone<\/span> across<\/span> its<\/span> border<\/span> for<\/span> the<\/span> first<\/span> time<\/span> in<\/span> five<\/span> years.<\/span> North<\/span> Korea<\/span> has<\/span> already<\/span> conducted<\/span> a<\/span> record<\/span> number<\/span> of<\/span> missile<\/span> tests<\/span> this<\/span> year<\/span> in<\/span> what<\/span> experts<\/span> call<\/span> an<\/span> attempt<\/span> to<\/span> modernize<\/span> its<\/span> arsenal<\/span> and<\/span> increase<\/span> its<\/span> leverage<\/span> over<\/span> future<\/span> deals<\/span> with<\/span> the<\/span> United<\/span> States.<\/span>
\n<\/span>
\n<\/span>In<\/span> Tuesday’s<\/span> session<\/span> at<\/span> the<\/span> ruling<\/span> Labor<\/span> Party’s<\/span> ongoing<\/span> plenary<\/span> session,<\/span> Kim<\/span> analyzed<\/span> emerging<\/span> security<\/span> challenges<\/span> in<\/span> international<\/span> politics<\/span> and<\/span> the<\/span> Korean<\/span> Peninsula,<\/span> and<\/span> the<\/span> principles<\/span> of<\/span> diplomatic<\/span> relations<\/span> and<\/span> fighting<\/span> enemies<\/span> to<\/span> protect<\/span> national<\/span> interests<\/span> and<\/span> sovereignty.<\/span> and<\/span> outlined<\/span> the<\/span> direction,<\/span> according<\/span> to<\/span> the<\/span> Korean<\/span> Central<\/span> News<\/span> Agency.<\/span>
\n<\/span>
\n<\/span>]<\/span>
\n<\/span>Some<\/span> observers<\/span> have<\/span> linked<\/span> the<\/span> new<\/span> targets<\/span> to<\/span> Kim<\/span> Jong-un’s<\/span> quest<\/span> to<\/span> expand<\/span> his<\/span> nuclear<\/span> arsenal<\/span> and<\/span> acquire<\/span> high-tech<\/span> weapon<\/span> systems<\/span> such<\/span> as<\/span> multiple<\/span> warhead<\/span> missiles,<\/span> more<\/span> agile<\/span> long-range<\/span> weapons,<\/span> spy<\/span> satellites<\/span> and<\/span> advanced<\/span> drones.<\/span> said<\/span> it<\/span> is<\/span> possible.<\/span> They<\/span> say<\/span> Kim<\/span> Jong-un<\/span> will<\/span> eventually<\/span> aim<\/span> to<\/span> use<\/span> his<\/span> increased<\/span> nuclear<\/span> arsenal<\/span> to<\/span> convince<\/span> North<\/span> Korea<\/span> to<\/span> accept<\/span> it<\/span> as<\/span> a<\/span> legal<\/span> nuclear<\/span> power.<\/span> He<\/span> believes<\/span> this<\/span> is<\/span> essential<\/span> to<\/span> lifting<\/span> international<\/span> sanctions.<\/span>
\n<\/span>
\n<\/span>On<\/span> Monday,<\/span> the<\/span> South<\/span> Korean<\/span> military<\/span> fired<\/span> warning<\/span> shots<\/span> and<\/span> launched<\/span> fighter<\/span> jets<\/span> and<\/span> helicopters<\/span> after<\/span> spotting<\/span> five<\/span> North<\/span> Korean<\/span> drones<\/span> violating<\/span> South<\/span> Korean<\/span> airspace.South<\/span> Korean<\/span> Defense<\/span> Minister<\/span> Lee<\/span> Jong-sup<\/span> said<\/span> Wednesday,<\/span> He<\/span> told<\/span> parliamentarians<\/span> that<\/span> he<\/span> had<\/span> flown<\/span> three<\/span> drones<\/span> across<\/span> the<\/span> border<\/span> in<\/span> response.<\/span>
\n<\/span>
\n<\/span>The<\/span> military<\/span> apologized<\/span> for<\/span> not<\/span> shooting<\/span> down<\/span> the<\/span> drones,<\/span> and<\/span> President<\/span> Yoon<\/span> Seok-yeol<\/span> called<\/span> for<\/span> stronger<\/span> air<\/span> defense<\/span> systems<\/span> and<\/span> high-tech<\/span> stealth<\/span> drones<\/span> to<\/span> better<\/span> monitor<\/span> North<\/span> Korea.<\/span>
\n<\/span>
\n<\/span>At<\/span> a<\/span> meeting<\/span> with<\/span> his<\/span> advisers<\/span> on<\/span> Wednesday,<\/span> Yoon<\/span> said<\/span> South<\/span> Korea<\/span> must<\/span> resolutely<\/span> retaliate<\/span> against<\/span> any<\/span> provocations<\/span> by<\/span> North<\/span> Korea,<\/span> which<\/span> is<\/span> the<\/span> most<\/span> powerful<\/span> means<\/span> to<\/span> deter<\/span> North<\/span> Korea.<\/span> said.<\/span> Yoon<\/span> also<\/span> said<\/span> South<\/span> Korea<\/span> should<\/span> not<\/span> be<\/span> threatened<\/span> by<\/span> North<\/span> Korea’s<\/span> nuclear<\/span> weapons,<\/span> according<\/span> to<\/span> spokeswoman<\/span> Kim<\/span> Eun-hye.<\/span>
\n<\/span>
\n<\/span>Some<\/span> experts<\/span> say<\/span> North<\/span> Korea’s<\/span> drone<\/span> flights<\/span> may<\/span> have<\/span> been<\/span> designed<\/span> to<\/span> test<\/span> South<\/span> Korea<\/span> and<\/span> the<\/span> United<\/span> States’<\/span> willingness<\/span> to<\/span> reverse<\/span> previous<\/span> inter-Korean<\/span> agreements<\/span> to<\/span> ease<\/span> tensions<\/span> in<\/span> frontline<\/span> areas.<\/span> I’m<\/span> here.<\/span> They<\/span> say<\/span> North<\/span> Korea<\/span> likely<\/span> valued<\/span> drones<\/span> as<\/span> a<\/span> cheap<\/span> and<\/span> effective<\/span> way<\/span> to<\/span> create<\/span> security<\/span> concerns<\/span> and<\/span> internal<\/span> divisions<\/span> within<\/span> South<\/span> Korea.<\/span>
\n<\/span>
\n<\/span>Yoon,<\/span> a<\/span> Conservative<\/span> who<\/span> took<\/span> office<\/span> in<\/span> May,<\/span> said<\/span> on<\/span> Tuesday<\/span> that<\/span> South<\/span> Korea<\/span> had<\/span> received<\/span> little<\/span> anti-drone<\/span> training<\/span> since<\/span> 2017.<\/span> He<\/span> seems<\/span> to<\/span> be<\/span> trying<\/span> to<\/span> denounce<\/span> the<\/span> supposedly<\/span> lax<\/span> air<\/span> defenses,<\/span> saying,<\/span> “I<\/span> think<\/span> we,<\/span> the<\/span> people,<\/span> must<\/span> have<\/span> realized<\/span> very<\/span> well<\/span> how<\/span> dangerous<\/span> good<\/span> faith<\/span> and<\/span> (peace)<\/span> treaty-based<\/span> policies<\/span> are.”<\/span>
\n<\/span>
\n<\/span>Moon’s<\/span> liberal<\/span> opposition<\/span> party,<\/span> the<\/span> Democratic<\/span> Party,<\/span> has<\/span> accused<\/span> the<\/span> president<\/span> of<\/span> trying<\/span> to<\/span> shift<\/span> the<\/span> blame.<\/span> As<\/span> part<\/span> of<\/span> a<\/span> five-year<\/span> upgrade<\/span> plan<\/span> announced<\/span> Wednesday,<\/span> South<\/span> Korea’s<\/span> defense<\/span> ministry<\/span> said<\/span> it<\/span> would<\/span> push<\/span> ahead<\/span> with<\/span> strengthening<\/span> its<\/span> so-called<\/span> three-axis<\/span> system<\/span> —<\/span> first-strike,<\/span> missile<\/span> defense<\/span> and<\/span> retaliation<\/span> capabilities.<\/span> North<\/span> Korea’s<\/span> nuclear<\/span> threat.<\/span> To<\/span> that<\/span> end,<\/span> he<\/span> said,<\/span> it<\/span> would<\/span> procure<\/span> more<\/span> stealth<\/span> fighters<\/span> and<\/span> submarines<\/span> capable<\/span> of<\/span> launching<\/span> ballistic<\/span> missiles,<\/span> operate<\/span> additional<\/span> interceptor<\/span> missiles<\/span> and<\/span> radars,<\/span> and<\/span> develop<\/span> more<\/span> powerful<\/span> precision-guided<\/span> weapons.<\/span><\/p>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

SEOUL, South Korea (AP) December,28– North Korean leader Kim Jong Un has unveiled new plans to further build up its military strength next year, state media reported Wednesday. Kim’s statement came as hostilities with his rival South Korea surged this week, with South Korea accusing North Korea of \u200b\u200bflying a drone across its border for […]<\/p>","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":2666,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"tdm_status":"","tdm_grid_status":""},"categories":[26,24,276,280,2425],"tags":[150,156,174,76,103,104],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/brusselsindependent.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/12\/n.korea_.webp","amp_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/brusselsindependent.com\/be\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2665"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/brusselsindependent.com\/be\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/brusselsindependent.com\/be\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/brusselsindependent.com\/be\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/brusselsindependent.com\/be\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=2665"}],"version-history":[{"count":3,"href":"https:\/\/brusselsindependent.com\/be\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2665\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":2677,"href":"https:\/\/brusselsindependent.com\/be\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2665\/revisions\/2677"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/brusselsindependent.com\/be\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/2666"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/brusselsindependent.com\/be\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2665"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/brusselsindependent.com\/be\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=2665"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/brusselsindependent.com\/be\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=2665"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}