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WORLD NEWSThursday 10 March 2016
Kim Jong Un poses beside possible nuclear warhead mock up
SEOUL, South Korea (AP) — South Korea’s Defense A South Korean army soldier walks by a TV screen showing North Korean leader Kim Jong Un with
North Korea has caused a Ministry said Wednesday it superimposed letters that read: “North Korea’s nuclear warhead” during a news program at Seoul
new stir with photos on the was analyzing the objects Railway Station in Seoul, South Korea, Wednesday, March 9, 2016.
front page of its ruling party shown in the North Korean
newspaper Wednesday photos. (AP Photo/Ahn Young-joon)
that show the country’s Pyongyang has previously
leader Kim Jong Un stand- said it has nuclear war- its first H-bomb in the Jan. listic missiles. If the North succeeds in
ing beside a purported heads small enough to put 6 nuclear test, which was Its development of small- developing a credible war-
mock-up of a miniaturized on long-range missiles, but followed last month by the er nuclear weapons and head and missile, it would
nuclear warhead during a experts have questioned launch of a rocket that long-range missiles that most deeply impact the
meeting with his top nucle- such claims. put a satellite into orbit but could be used to deliver United States, South Ko-
ar scientists. This was the first time the which is seen as a violation them to targets overseas rea and Japan, but Rus-
North has publicly por- of U.N. resolutions because has long been a matter of sia and China, which are
The Rodong Sinmun news- trayed what its designs it contains dual-use tech- concern and could poten- friendlier to the North, have
paper for the Workers’ Par- look like, though it remains nology that could also be tially shake up the security strongly denounced its nu-
ty said Kim met his nuclear unclear whether the North applied to long-range bal- balance in Asia. clear program.
scientists for a briefing on has a functioning warhead
the status of their work and of that size or if it is simply
declared he was greatly trying to develop one.
pleased that warheads North Korea warned Mon-
had been standardized day of pre-emptive nucle-
and miniaturized for use on ar strikes after the United
ballistic missiles. States and South Korea be-
The party newspaper pho- gan holding their biggest-
tos showed Kim and the ever war games, which will
scientists standing by what go on until the end of April.
outside analysts say ap- Tensions have been high
pears to be the model war- after North Korea’s recent
head — a small, silverish nuclear test and rocket
globe presented on a low launch, which prompted
table in a hangar with a the United Nations to adopt
ballistic missile or a model tough new sanctions.
ballistic missile in the back-
ground. The North claims it tested
Philippines to lease Japanese planes to patrol disputed sea
MANILA, Philippines (AP) — equipment and technol- construction of islands in our air force before was Philippines will also acquire
President Benigno Aquino III ogy to the Philippines, To- the disputed Spratly archi- ‘all air and no force?’” he a dozen military aircraft
said Wednesday his coun- kyo’s first such pact with pelago. asked. this year and in 2017 from
try will lease five aircraft any Southeast Asian coun- Aquino spoke at a cer- Aquino cited how two FA- other countries, including
from Japan to help the Phil- try. emony where the new 50 fighter jets escorted his two more of a dozen FA-50
ippine navy patrol Manila’s Aquino said without elabo- Philippine Air Force chief, commercial plane as it en- fighter jets and two C-130
territory in the disputed rating that the TC-90 train- Lt. Gen. Edgar Fallorina, tered Philippine airspace as cargo planes, he said.
South China Sea. ing planes from Japan assumed his post. Aquino, he flew back home from a Aquino said the govern-
The Asian allies, which have would be used to help pa- whose six-year term ends recent U.S. trip. The FA-50s ment has spent more than
separate territorial conflicts trol the Philippine territory in in June, outlined the prog- from South Korea were the 58 billion pesos ($1.2 bil-
with Beijing, have been the South China Sea. Tokyo ress in efforts to modernize country’s first fighter jets in lion) from 2010, when his
deepening their security and Manila have expressed his country’s underfunded a decade since it retired its term started, to Febru-
ties. They signed an agree- alarm over China’s aggres- military, one of Asia’s most F5 jets in 2005. ary this year to modernize
ment last month to allow sive assertion of its territorial ill-equipped. In addition to leasing the the country’s ill-equipped
Japan to supply defense claims, including its massive “Were they not saying that TC-90 training planes, the armed forces.
