Kim shows nuclear might without provoking Trump

Bloomberg

Kim Jong-un paraded ballistic missiles and thousands of troops through Pyongyang in the largest such event in at least two years, with the North Korean leader vowing only to unleash his nuclear arsenal to prevent an attack.
North Korean state television on Saturday showed battalions marching under the bright lights of Pyongyang’s main square in a rare night parade to celebrate the 75th anniversary of the ruling Workers’ Party (WPK). Kim, wearing a gray suit, entered the square just after a huge clock ticked to midnight, indicating a pre-recorded event.
“We will continue to strengthen our war deterrence capability, so as to deter all kinds of risky attempts and threats — including nuclear threats that are being constantly aggravated by hostile forces,” Kim told the crowd from a high balcony. Kim said the weapons should “never be used first.”
“But if any forces try to use their military power against us, I will preemptively mobilise our most powerful offensive force and punish them,” he said, without naming any countries.
At the same time, Kim offered kind words to rival South Korea, saying he wished the country a speedy recovery from its coronavirus outbreak. Kim said he hoped the two sides could hold hands together after the pandemic subsided.
“Kim Jong-un’s speech sounded tame, almost deliberately trying not to provoke
the US, while achieving its domestic objective of strengthening unity,” said Duyeon Kim, an adjunct senior fellow with the Center for a New American Security in Seoul.
Weapons experts spotted what they said appeared to be a Pukguksong-3 missile designed to be fired from a submarine. The weapon is believed to be the most advanced solid-fuel missile that Kim’s regime has launched and could deliver a nuclear warhead to all of South Korea and most of Japan.
The parade, yet to be shown in full on state TV, was expected to show off a nuclear arsenal that poses one of the most daunting security challenges for the winner of the US presidential election. It could showcase the “new strategic weapon” Kim pledged to unveil at the start of the year.
Any missiles designed to hit American targets would underscore how North Korea remains a nuclear threat to the US as President Donald Trump prepares to defend his record against Democratic challenger Joe Biden in the election.
Although North Korea hasn’t fired off an ICBM since November 2017, it conducted a
long-burn test of a new engine and introduced an assortment of shorter-range, solid-fuelled rockets last year.