China Opposes Undermining of Stability on Korean Peninsula - FM

Mar 10, 2016, 04:42

South Korean and USA troops began large-scale military exercises on Monday in an annual test of their defences against North Korea, which called the drills "nuclear war moves" and threatened to respond with an all-out offensive.

Despite the absence of worldwide recognition, Kim asserted that his country's current capabilities present a "true nuclear deterrent".

North Korea has previously said it has nuclear warheads small enough to put on long-range missiles capable of striking the USA mainland, but experts have questioned those claims.

He said: "The nuclear warheads have been standardised to be fit for ballistic missiles by miniaturising them".

"The nuclear warheads have been standardized to be fit for ballistic missiles by miniaturizing them", the state new agency KCNA quoted him as saying.

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"He stressed the importance of building ever more powerful, precision and miniaturized nuclear weapons and their delivery means", KCNA said.

It's unclear how much the new South Korean steps will sting North Korea, which has already been slapped with global sanctions over its nuclear and missile programs.

The round object shown in the photos appears to be a model of a warhead trigger device which would contain uranium or plutonium, according to nuclear expert Whang Joo-ho of Kyung Hee University in South Korea.

The individuals include Kim Yong Chul, a former head of North Korea's intelligence agency who was believed to be behind two attacks blamed on North Korea that killed 50 South Koreans in 2010.

However, the launch is viewed by other nations, such as the US, Japan, and South Korea, as a front for testing an intercontinental ballistic missile, since the technology is the same.

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In a sign of increased urgency to calm the situation, Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi said on Tuesday that China is open to reducing the number of participants in the six-party talks aimed at persuading the North to give up its nuclear weapons programme.

North Korea conducted its fourth nuclear test in January and a long-range rocket launch last month triggering a UN Security Council resolution and the tough new sanctions.

Kim echoed the threat, warning that North Korea would "never hesitate to make a pre-emptive nuclear strike" in the event of any effort by the US and its allies to undermine its national sovereignty as a nuclear state.

China also stepped up pressure on the North by barring one of the 31 ships on its transport ministry's blacklist.

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