The powerful sister of North Korean leader Kim Jong-un said on Sunday that South Korea will have to pay a "dear price" for sending propaganda leaflets across the border the previous day.
NATO and Europe are crying hoarse about North Korean troops being deployed in Russia. According to the Pentagon, about 10,000 North Korean troops are ready to be deployed in the war zone, most of whom are undergoing training in Russia. This would imply strength of about one division.
Guided by Kim, North Korea carried out a "crucial" missile test that set milestones in "perpetuating the absolute superiority" of the country's armed forces, according to the Korean Central News Agency (KCNA).
Russia said on Monday it will continue its cooperation with North Korea but declined to comment on allegations that it plans to use North Korean soldiers in military operations against Ukraine.
The defence ministry's stance was echoed by the ruling People Power Party (PPP) on Sunday.
North Korea on Thursday hinted at resuming its nuclear and long-range missile testing, saying it will consider restarting "all temporarily-suspended activities".
Last week, North Korea had said its railway-based missile regiment conducted a firing drill, with two tactical guided missiles hitting a set target in the East Sea.
Tuesday’s spectacular launch was Pyongyang’s second test of its purported hypersonic missile in the span of a week, indeed a type of weaponry that it had first tested in September last year. On closer reflection, President Kim relentlessly pursues his defiance to expand his nuclear capabilities despite western sanctions, pandemic-related difficulties, and deadlocked diplomacy with America.
In this sense, President Moon’s end-of-war declaration contains very risky, and even dangerous aspects. Considering that North Korea has cheated or violated a variety of bilateral agreements so many times over the last several decades, I deeply doubt that Pyongyang will faithfully implement an end-of war declaration with interested parties.
The Joint Chiefs of Staff (JCS) said it detected the launch from an inland area at 7:27 a.m. It did not elaborate further, Yonhap news agency reported.
