Kim Jong Un Lauds Testing of Unspecified ‘Ultramodern Tactical Weapon’

North Korean state media is reporting that Kim Jong Un observed the successful testing of a “newly developed ultramodern tactical weapon.” The North Korean leader is said to have been “so excited to say that another great work was done by the defense scientists and munitions industrial workers to increase the defense capability of the country.” No further details were available on the weapon in question, but experts say the testing is most likely meant as a message for Washington amid stalled nuclear talks. “It’s a North Korea-style coercive diplomacy. North Korea is saying ‘If you don’t listen to us, you will face political burdens,’” analyst Shin Beomchul of Seoul’s Asan Institute for Policy Studies told the Associated Press. South Korean officials have said more analysis is necessary to determine what weapon was tested.

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