North Korea to unleash new anti-aircraft weapon

By Alex Jensen

SEOUL

North Korea claimed Sunday to have successfully tested a new anti-aircraft weapon system, with ruler Kim Jong-un pushing to “completely spoil the enemy’s wild dream to command the air.”

Pyongyang earlier complained that a South Korean surveillance drone entered its airspace multiple times last Friday.

That claim followed Tuesday’s firing of shots by South Korean troops at the border after they suspected the presence of a North Korean drone.

The North’s KCNA news agency reported that Kim oversaw “the successful test” at an unspecified time and place, as is customary with Pyongyang’s official media, although Saturday was likely given the sequence of recent events.

“Some defects in the weapon system, discovered last year, were perfectly overcome to stand the test,” Kim said according to quotes provided by KCNA.

“This weapon system, whose operation capability has been thoroughly verified, should be mass-produced to deploy in all over the country like forests so as to completely spoil the enemy's wild dream to command the air.”

American strategic bombers have made their presence felt repeatedly over the peninsula, with around 30,000 United States troops also based in the South.

Seoul additionally has its own fleet of military aircraft partly aimed at countering North Korea’s persistent nuclear weapon development.