North Korea’s Kim Vows to Make His Nuclear Force Ready for Combat with US 

A photo released by the official North Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) shows North Korean leader Kim Jong Un delivering his speech on the 76th anniversary of the country’s founding in Pyongyang, North Korea, 09 September 2024 (issued 10 September 2024). (EPA/KCNA)
A photo released by the official North Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) shows North Korean leader Kim Jong Un delivering his speech on the 76th anniversary of the country’s founding in Pyongyang, North Korea, 09 September 2024 (issued 10 September 2024). (EPA/KCNA)
TT
20

North Korea’s Kim Vows to Make His Nuclear Force Ready for Combat with US 

A photo released by the official North Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) shows North Korean leader Kim Jong Un delivering his speech on the 76th anniversary of the country’s founding in Pyongyang, North Korea, 09 September 2024 (issued 10 September 2024). (EPA/KCNA)
A photo released by the official North Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) shows North Korean leader Kim Jong Un delivering his speech on the 76th anniversary of the country’s founding in Pyongyang, North Korea, 09 September 2024 (issued 10 September 2024). (EPA/KCNA)

North Korean leader Kim Jong Un vowed to redouble efforts to make his nuclear force fully ready for combat with the United States and its allies, state media reported Tuesday, after the country disclosed a new platform likely designed to fire more powerful intercontinental ballistic missiles targeting the mainland US.

Kim has repeatedly made similar pledges, but his latest threat comes as outside experts believe Kim will perform provocative weapons tests ahead of the US presidential election in November. In recent days, North Korea has also resumed launches of trash-carrying balloons toward South Korea.

In a speech marking the 76th founding anniversary for his government on Monday, Kim said North Korea faces "a grave threat" because of what he called "the reckless expansion" of a US-led regional military bloc that is now developing into a nuclear-based one.

Kim said such a development is pushing North Korea to boost its military capability, according to the official Korean Central News Agency.

He said North Korea will "redouble its measures and efforts to make all the armed forces of the state including the nuclear force fully ready for combat," KCNA reported.

North Korea has been protesting the July signing of a new US-South Korean defense guideline meant to integrate US nuclear weapons and South Korean conventional weapons to cope with growing North Korean nuclear threats. North Korea said the guideline revealed its adversaries’ plots to invade the country. US and South Korean officials have repeatedly said they don't intend to attack the country.

Since 2022, North Korea has significantly accelerated its weapons testing activities in a bid to perfect its capabilities to launch strikes on the US and South Korea. The US and South Korea have responded by expanding military drills that North Korea calls invasion rehearsals.

Many analysts believe North Korea has some last remaining technological barriers to overcome to acquire long-range nuclear missiles that can reach the US mainland, though it likely already possesses missiles that can hit key targets in South Korea and Japan.

South Korean officials and experts say North Korea could conduct nuclear tests or ICBM test-launches before the US election to increase its leverage in future diplomacy with the US. Observers say North Korea likely thinks a greater nuclear capability would help it win US concessions like sanctions relief.

North Korea as of Tuesday morning did not appear to have staged any major military demonstration to mark this year’s anniversary. But the North's main Rodong Sinmun newspaper on Sunday published a photo of Kim inspecting what appeared to be a 12-axle missile launch vehicle, which would be the largest the country has shown so far, during a visit to a munitions plant.

This sparked speculation that the North could be developing a new ICBM that is bigger than its current Hwasong-17 ICBM, which is launched on an 11-axle vehicle.

When asked about the photo on Monday, Pentagon spokesperson Maj. Gen. Pat Ryder refused to provide a specific assessment of North Korea’s missile capabilities and reiterated that Washington was working closely with Seoul, Tokyo and other partners to preserve regional security and deter potential attacks.

"It’s not unusual for North Korea to use media reports and imagery to try to telegraph, you know, to the world," he said.

North Korea flew hundreds of huge balloons carrying rubbish toward South Korea for five straight days through Sunday, extending a Cold War-style psychological warfare campaign that has further stoked animosities on the Korean Peninsula. The balloons largely contained waste papers and vinyl, and there has been no reports of major damage.

North Korea began its balloon campaign in late May, calling it a response to South Korean civilians flying propaganda leaflets across the border via their own balloons. South Korea later restarted its anti-Pyongyang propaganda loudspeaker broadcasts along the rivals' tense land border.

Observers say North Korea is extremely sensitive to South Korean leafleting activities and loudspeaker broadcasts as they could hamper its efforts to ban foreign news to its 26 million people.



A Month after Ceasefire with Israel, Iranians Fear another War

Israel struck major Iranian cities including Tehran, hitting military sites, government buildings and some residential areas. AFP
Israel struck major Iranian cities including Tehran, hitting military sites, government buildings and some residential areas. AFP
TT
20

A Month after Ceasefire with Israel, Iranians Fear another War

Israel struck major Iranian cities including Tehran, hitting military sites, government buildings and some residential areas. AFP
Israel struck major Iranian cities including Tehran, hitting military sites, government buildings and some residential areas. AFP

The ceasefire that ended Iran's 12-day war with Israel has held for nearly a month without incident, but many Iranians remain uneasy, struggling with uncertainty as fears of another confrontation linger.

"I don't think this ceasefire will last," said Peyman, a 57-year-old resident of Shiraz in Iran's south, one of numerous cities hit last month as Israel unleashed an unprecedented bombing campaign against its staunch rival.

The Israeli offensive targeted key nuclear facilities and military sites, killing top commanders and nuclear scientists and hundreds of other people, while also wreaking havoc in some residential areas.

The attacks triggered the fiercest fighting in history between the longtime foes, ending with a ceasefire announced on June 24.

But Israel has signaled it could return to fighting if Iran attempts to rebuild nuclear facilities or carry out any actions deemed a threat, such as moving to develop an atomic bomb -- an ambition Tehran has consistently denied it was pursuing.

Iran, in turn, has vowed to deliver a harsh response if attacked again.

Nuclear diplomacy with the United States -- which briefly joined the war with strikes on key Iranian nuclear sites -- has stalled, deepening a sense of uncertainty about what lies ahead.

"I am scared the war would start again," said Hamid, a 54-year-old government employee who gave only his first name.

"It will lead to the death of more innocent people and the destruction of the country's infrastructure."

During the war, Israel struck major Iranian cities including the capital Tehran, hitting military sites, government buildings and the state television headquarters.

More than 1,000 people were killed in Iran, according to authorities. Retaliatory missile and drone attacks killed 29 people in Israel.

'Don't want to flee again'

Many residents fled Tehran, seeking refuge in other parts of the country, even though few regions were untouched by the blasts and smoke-covered skies.

Nearly a month later, a series of fires that broke out across Iran in recent days -- including one at a major oil facility -- have triggered speculations which officials were quick to dismiss, denying any acts of sabotage.

"This war really frightened me," said 78-year-old housewife Golandam Babaei, from the western Kermanshah province.

She lived through the Iran-Iraq war of the 1980s, a painful memory for many of her generation.

"I kept telling myself, please God, do not let the past repeat itself," Babaei told AFP.

The war with Israel, although much shorter and fought mostly with air strikes and missiles rather than by ground forces, revived grim memories of the conflict with Iraq.

That war, triggered by an Iraqi invasion in 1980, killed an estimated 500,000 people on both sides.

Since then, for decades, Iran had managed to keep conflicts away from its territory. But now after the 12-day war with Israel, some Iranians feel a profound sense of vulnerability.

"I kept thinking I don't want to flee again, we have nowhere to go. I cannot run to the mountains like the past," said Babaei.

Uncertain future

For Ali Khanzadi, a 62-year-old war veteran, the conflict with Israel highlighted a change compared to the 1980s when "we didn't have any advanced military equipment" to fight the Iraqis.

Khanzadi, who was wounded in battle in 1983, said that the war with Israel, while much shorter, had a more sinister dimension.

Unlike in the past, modern military technology means "they can kill a child in his sleep remotely using a drone," he said.

In the face of the Israeli threats and attacks, Iranian authorities have repeatedly invoked national unity.

Supreme leader Ali Khamenei has said the offensive was aimed at toppling Iran's clerical system, and urged Iranian diplomats and military officials to proceed with "care and precision" as the country cautiously moves on.

Tehran has said it remained open to nuclear diplomacy with the United States which the war had derailed, but officials have expressed concerns over renewed attacks and demanded unspecified US guarantees to resume negotiations.

Ordinary Iranians appear to share fears that the conflict could erupt again.

"I hope that this will not happen," said Hamid.

Babaei said she was praying "for peace, for us to remain safe in our homes".