North Korea's Kim orders nuclear readiness after missile test, state media says

SEOUL, South Korea — North Korean leader Kim Jong Un supervised a test-launch of strategic cruise missiles and ordered full readiness to use nuclear attack capability, which would ensure the most effective defense for the country, state media said Friday.

The test was designed to warn “enemies, who are seriously violating the security environment of the (country) and fostering and escalating the confrontation environment” and to demonstrate “readiness of its various nuke operation means,” the KCNA news agency said.

“What is guaranteed by powerful striking ability is the most perfect deterrence and defense capacity,” KCNA quoted Kim as saying.

“It is the responsible mission and duty of the DPRK’s nuclear armed forces to permanently defend the national sovereignty and security with the reliable nuclear shield by getting more thorough battle readiness of nuclear force and full preparedness for their use.”

DPRK is short for the North’s official name, the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea.

The missile launch was conducted on Wednesday over the sea off the west coast of the Korean peninsula, it said.

South Korea’s military said Friday it had detected signs of missile launch preparations on Wednesday and tracked several cruise missiles after they were launched around 8 a.m. local time (6 p.m. Tuesday ET) over the sea.

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Kim Jong Un threatens using nuclear weapons against South Korea

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North Korea has pursued the development of strategic cruise missiles over several years, intended to deliver nuclear warheads.The type of missile tends to bring less alarm and condemnation from the international community than ballistic missiles because they are not formally banned under U.N. Security Council resolutions.

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The Security Council has banned the North from ballistic missile and nuclear weapons development and imposed a number of sanctions for violations.

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The report of the missile test came in the same week that Kim made back-to-back visits to military schools, driving home the message of loyalty and the importance of ideological and tactical training of young military officers.

Kim did not mention any country by name when he spoke of warning the enemies but has kept up harsh rhetoric against the United States and South Korea despite comments by President Donald Trump that he would be reaching out to him.

Trump and Kim held unprecedented summit meetings during the U.S. president’s first term.