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A30 world news
Diabierna 24 Juni 2022

N. Korea talks of new army duties suggest nuclear deployment

their firepower missions." mission meeting.
This year, North Korea has
Later in April, Kim said test-launched about 30 mis-
North Korea could preemp- siles in what some experts
tively use nuclear weapons call an attempt to expand its
if threatened, saying they arsenal and increase its le-
would "never be confined to verage in future negotiations
the single mission of war de- with the United States to win
terrent" in situations in which sanctions relief and other
the country faces external concessions. The weapons
threats to its "fundamental tested include an ICBM. An-
interests." The possibility of alysts say North Korea needs
North Korea having an esca- to master missile reentry ca-
latory nuclear doctrine could pabilities and other technolo-
pose greater concern for gies to make a functioning
South Korea, Japan and the long-range weapon.
United States. There have been signs of
an impending North Ko-
North Korea has described rean nuclear test for weeks.
some of its other short-range South Korean officials said
nuclear-capable missiles the test has been delayed by
tested in recent years as tac- North Korea's continuing
tical weapons, which experts COVID-19 outbreak and op-
say communicates a threat position from China, its last
to proactively use them dur- major ally and biggest aid
ing conventional warfare to provider.
blunt the stronger conven-
tional forces of South Korea Won In-Choul, chairman of
(AP) — North Korea dis- missiles. tactical nuclear weapons and and the United States. South Korea's Joint Chiefs of
cussed assigning addi- the modification of related Staff, held a video conference
tional duties to front-line During an ongoing meeting operational plans and military Kim Jun-rak, a spokesper- on Thursday with his Ameri-
army units at a key mili- of the Central Military Com- organization reshuffles have son for South Korea's Joint can counterpart, Gen. Mark
tary meeting, state media mission of North Korea's been discussed in an in-depth Chiefs of Staff, told report- Milley, and said a North Ko-
said Thursday, a move that ruling Workers' Party, leader manner" at the meeting, said ers Thursday that it is closely rean ICBM test or nuclear
analysts said indicates it Kim Jong Un and other top Cheong Seong-Chang, a se- monitoring North Korean test explosion could occur at
plans to deploy battlefield military officers discussed nior analyst at South Korea's activities but didn't elabo- any time, his office said in a
nuclear weapons target- on Wednesday "the work of private Sejong Institute. rate. South Korea's Unifica- statement. It said Milley re-
ing South Korea along the additionally confirming the tion Ministry, which overseas sponded that the U.S. com-
rivals' tense border. operation duties of the front- Cheong said North Korea's relations with North Korea, mitment to the defense of
line units of the Korean Peo- push to deploy nuclear weap- said the North will likely South Korea remains "iron-
While much international at- ple's Army and modifying the ons at front-line units was increase its military threats clad."
tention has focused on North operation plans," according expected since it said in April against South Korea, but did
Korea's testing of interconti- to the official Korean Central that its new tactical weapons not elaborate. South Korean and U.S. of-
nental ballistic missiles po- News Agency. would significantly boost the ficials have warned North
tentially capable of reach- units' attack capacity and the Kim convened the Cen- Korea that it will face con-
ing the U.S. mainland, it is Kim also ordered steps to efficient operation of tactical tral Military Commission sequences if it goes ahead
also developing a variety of "enhance the operational ca- nuclear weapons. meeting earlier this week to with a nuclear test. But divi-
nuclear-capable short-range pabilities of the front-line confirm "crucial and urgent sions between the permanent
missiles that can target South units," KCNA said. A KCNA A KCNA report on April 17 tasks" to expand the country's members of the U.N. Secu-
Korea. photo showed what appeared on the test-launch of what military capabilities and im- rity Council make prospects
to be a large map of the Kore- it called a new type of tacti- plement key defense policies, for additional international
South Korean officials re- an Peninsula's eastern coast, cal guided weapon said it has state media said. sanctions on North Korea
cently said that North Korea including border sites, stand- "great significance in drasti- Cheong, the analyst, said unclear. Earlier this year,
has completed preparations ing near the conference table. cally improving the firepower North Korea is expected to Russia and China vetoed
for its first test of a nuclear of the front-line long-range conduct its seventh nuclear U.S.-sponsored resolutions
explosive device in five years, Although there was no pub- artillery units, enhancing the test after the meeting, noting that would have increased
part of a possible effort to lic mention of tactical nuclear efficiency in the operation that its third nuclear test in sanctions, insisting that
build warheads capable of be- weapons, "I can assess that the of (North Korea's) tactical 2013 also came days after an- Washington should focus on
ing mounted on short-range issues of forward-deploying nukes and diversification of other Central Military Com- reviving dialogue.

2 Nigerians charged in UK over alleged organ-harvesting plan

(AP) — British police on vesting." after they were alerted to gations but as this is an active not comment further at this
Thursday charged two Ni- The two suspects appeared at potential modern slavery of- police investigation, we can- stage," the spokesman said.
gerians, including a poli- Uxbridge Magistrates' Court fenses in May.
tician, with conspiring to in west London on Thurs- Ike Ekweremadu was recent-
bring a child to the U.K. day. They confirmed they re- ly made a visiting professor at
in order to harvest organs. side in Nigeria, and were re- the University of Lincoln in
manded in custody until they northern England.
Ike Ekweremadu, a 60-year- are expected in court again on
old district senator and law- July 7, the BBC reported. A university spokesman said
yer, and Beatrice Nwanneka visiting professors "are often,
Ekweremadu, 55, are accused The Metropolitan Police said as is in this case, non-resident
of conspiracy to arrange or a child had been taken to at the university, unpaid and
facilitate travel of another safety. advisory."
person with a view to exploi- The force said detectives "We are deeply concerned
tation, "namely organ har- launched an investigation about the nature of these alle-