North Korea Tests Long Range Cruise Missile
2021-09-14
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1North Korea said Monday it successfully tested a long-range cruise missile over the weekend.
2The tests show how the country is trying to grow its nuclear technology as diplomatic talks with the United States have mostly stopped.
3The state-run Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) reported that the missiles hit targets 1,500 kilometers away.
4State media published photos of an object being launched from a truck and what looked like a missile traveling in the air.
5Experts say the long-range cruise missile could give North Korea another way to escape its neighbors' missile defenses.
6North Korea says it needs nuclear weapons in order to prevent what it claims is hostility from the United States and South Korea.
7North Korea called its new missiles a "strategic weapon of great significance."
8Experts say that wording means the new missiles were developed to arm them with nuclear weapons.
9"While you could say the missile will be nuclear capable, there is no known North Korean warhead for it yet," said Melissa Hanham.
10She is with the Stanford Center for International Security and Cooperation.
11The cruise missile can be launched as far as 1,500 kilometers.
12That means it could reach all parts of South Korea and most of Japan.
13In a statement, the U.S. military said it knew of the launches and is working closely with its allies and partners.
14The international community has tried for many years to get the North to stop its nuclear weapons program through threats of sanctions and the promise of economic help.
15But U.S.-led diplomatic meetings have greatly slowed since talks broke down in 2019 between North Korean leader Kim Jong Un and then-U.S. President Donald Trump.
16At that time, the Americans rejected Kim's demand for economic help in exchange for closing an old nuclear center.
17There had not been any known test launches since March, as Kim has been working on fighting the coronavirus and trying to improve the economy.
18Experts have said the economic situation in the North is very poor.
19The report of the tests comes before U.S. President Joe Biden's representative for North Korea, Sung Kim, was to meet with South Korean and Japanese diplomats in Tokyo Tuesday.
20The group was set to discuss nuclear diplomacy with North Korea.
21Defense experts say the missile test was a clear message to Washington.
22But the test may also be a sign that the North is struggling to develop more advanced weapons, said Du Hyeogn Cha.
23He is with Seoul's Asan Institute for Policy Studies.
24At a congress of the ruling Workers' Party in January, Kim promised to improve North Korea's nuclear technology.
25He listed new equipment he hoped to build, including longer-range intercontinental ballistic missiles, nuclear-powered submarines and spy satellites.
26North Korea has not carried out an intercontinental missile or nuclear test since 2017.
27Japanese Chief Cabinet Secretary Katsunobu Kato said the North Korean missiles present a "serious threat to the peace and safety of Japan and its surrounding areas."
28He said Japanese leaders were working with the U.S. and South Korea to gather information on North Korea's latest tests.
29Kim's powerful sister, Kim Yo-Jong, last month suggested that North Korea was ready to restart weapons testing.
30She also released a statement strongly criticizing the U.S. and South Korea for continuing their shared military exercises.
31She called the exercises the "most vivid expression of U.S. hostile policy" towards the North.
32I'm Dan Novak.
1North Korea said Monday it successfully tested a long-range cruise missile over the weekend. The tests show how the country is trying to grow its nuclear technology as diplomatic talks with the United States have mostly stopped. 2The state-run Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) reported that the missiles hit targets 1,500 kilometers away. State media published photos of an object being launched from a truck and what looked like a missile traveling in the air. Experts say the long-range cruise missile could give North Korea another way to escape its neighbors' missile defenses. 3North Korea says it needs nuclear weapons in order to prevent what it claims is hostility from the United States and South Korea. 4North Korea called its new missiles a "strategic weapon of great significance." Experts say that wording means the new missiles were developed to arm them with nuclear weapons. 5"While you could say the missile will be nuclear capable, there is no known North Korean warhead for it yet," said Melissa Hanham. She is with the Stanford Center for International Security and Cooperation. 6The cruise missile can be launched as far as 1,500 kilometers. That means it could reach all parts of South Korea and most of Japan. 7In a statement, the U.S. military said it knew of the launches and is working closely with its allies and partners. 8The international community has tried for many years to get the North to stop its nuclear weapons program through threats of sanctions and the promise of economic help. But U.S.-led diplomatic meetings have greatly slowed since talks broke down in 2019 between North Korean leader Kim Jong Un and then-U.S. President Donald Trump. At that time, the Americans rejected Kim's demand for economic help in exchange for closing an old nuclear center. 9There had not been any known test launches since March, as Kim has been working on fighting the coronavirus and trying to improve the economy. Experts have said the economic situation in the North is very poor. 10The report of the tests comes before U.S. President Joe Biden's representative for North Korea, Sung Kim, was to meet with South Korean and Japanese diplomats in Tokyo Tuesday. The group was set to discuss nuclear diplomacy with North Korea. 11Defense experts say the missile test was a clear message to Washington. But the test may also be a sign that the North is struggling to develop more advanced weapons, said Du Hyeogn Cha. He is with Seoul's Asan Institute for Policy Studies. 12At a congress of the ruling Workers' Party in January, Kim promised to improve North Korea's nuclear technology. He listed new equipment he hoped to build, including longer-range intercontinental ballistic missiles, nuclear-powered submarines and spy satellites. North Korea has not carried out an intercontinental missile or nuclear test since 2017. 13Japanese Chief Cabinet Secretary Katsunobu Kato said the North Korean missiles present a "serious threat to the peace and safety of Japan and its surrounding areas." He said Japanese leaders were working with the U.S. and South Korea to gather information on North Korea's latest tests. 14Kim's powerful sister, Kim Yo-Jong, last month suggested that North Korea was ready to restart weapons testing. She also released a statement strongly criticizing the U.S. and South Korea for continuing their shared military exercises. She called the exercises the "most vivid expression of U.S. hostile policy" towards the North. 15I'm Dan Novak. 16Dan Novak adapted this story for VOA Learning English based on reporting by The Associated Press and VOA News. Ashley Thompson was the editor. 17________________________________________________ 18Words in This Story 19cruise missile - n. a large military weapon that flies close to the ground and is directed to a specific place to explode 20strategic - adj. of or relating to a general plan that is created to achieve a goal in war, politics, etc., usually over a long period of time 21significance - n. of or relating to a general plan that is created to achieve a goal in war, politics, etc., usually over a long period of time 22capable - adj. able to do something : having the qualities or abilities that are needed to do something 23warhead - n. the part of a missile that contains the explosive 24sanction - n. an action that is taken or an order that is given to force a country to obey international laws by limiting or stopping trade with that country, by not allowing economic aid for that country, etc 25range - n. a series of numbers that includes the highest and lowest possible amounts ; a specified distance 26vivid - adj. seeming like real life because it is very clear, bright, or detailed