North Korean leader orders more production of weapon-grade nuclear materials

ANKARA

North Korean leader Kim Jong Un on Monday visited the country’s Nuclear Weapons Institute and ordered more production of weapon-grade nuclear materials, state-run media reported on Tuesday.

Accompanied by his military and government officials, Kim was briefed on recent work and production of nuclear weapons, Korean Central News Agency reported.

He praised the institute for its efforts to strengthen the nuclear force into a reliable force capable of coping with any nuclear emergency, said the agency.

“When we are flawlessly prepared to use nuclear weapons anytime and anywhere, nuclear weapons would not be used forever, and if the powerful and superior nuclear force going beyond imagination is ready for offensive posture, the enemy would fear us and not dare provoke our state sovereignty, system, and people,” Kim said.

North Korea on Tuesday also confirmed firing two ground-to-ground tactical ballistic missiles during a firing drill simulating a tactical nuclear attack a day earlier.

The drill involved two ground-to-ground tactical ballistic missiles with a nuclear air explosion striking mode, the agency reported.

On Monday, the South Korean military said that Pyongyang fired two short-range ballistic missiles from the Chunghwa area south of Pyongyang.

The latest launch came as the US and South Korean naval forces are staging combined drills, which kicked off last week and are slated to end next Monday.

The US nuclear-powered USS Nimitz aircraft carrier and its strike group also arrived in waters off the southern resort island of Jeju to display America's military might against growing North Korean threats, according to Yonhap News Agency.

Tensions on the Korean Peninsula have risen further following joint military exercises by the US and South Korea recently, as well as North Korean missile launches.

*Writing by Islamuddin Sajid