South Korea urged on Sunday North Korea to commit to its past disarmament pledges while expressing concerns over the North’s new long-range missile during a military parade.
Kim used the military parade to reveal the new missiles and weapons of its arsenal. Experts confirmed that Saturday's parade included ICBMs.
Kim did not use ballistic missiles in its parades since his first summit with Trump in 2018.
[caption id="attachment_158032" align="aligncenter" width="760"]
North Korea Displays its Arsenal[/caption]
The parade was held before Saturday's dawn, according to the South Korean military, and the reason for holding the parade at this early time is still unknown.
During the celebrations, North Korea displayed a variety of weapons systems, including two missiles that were revealed for the first time to a foreign audience.
One of the missiles appeared to be an intercontinental ballistic missile, and the other would likely be an upgraded version of a missile that can be fired from submarines.
While some experts say they could be modules of missiles under development, their disclosures suggest North Korea has been continuously pushing to boost its weapons capability amid a stalemate in nuclear diplomacy with the United States.
On the other hand, a senior US administration official described North Korea’s display of a new ICBM as "disappointing."
The official asked the government to negotiate the complete nuclear disarmament, according to Reuters.
He added "It is disappointing to see North Korea continue to prioritize its banned nuclear program and ballistic missiles instead of working for a brighter future for its people.''
He continued, "The United States calls on the DPRK to start continuous and serious negotiations to achieve complete nuclear disarmament."
Analysts say the missile, which was displayed on an 11-axis transport vehicle, would be one of the largest land-based ICBMs in the world.
Follow the latest news on Google News
