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WORLD NEWS Wednesday 2 OctOber 2019

North Korea fires projectiles days before resuming U.S. talks

By TONG-HYUNG KIM said North Korea and the
Associated Press United States have agreed
SEOUL, South Korea (AP) — to resume working-level
North Korea fired projec- nuclear negotiations this
tiles toward its eastern sea weekend.
Wednesday, South Korea's After supervising a test-
military and Japan's gov- ing firing of what the North
ernment said, in an appar- described as a "newly de-
ent display of its expanding veloped super-large mul-
military capabilities ahead tiple rocket launcher" last
of planned nuclear ne- month, North Korean lead-
gotiations with the United er Kim Jong Un was quoted
States this weekend. by state media as saying
South Korea's Joint Chiefs that the system would re-
of Staff did not immediately quire a "running fire test" to
confirm what the weapons complete its development.
were, how many were fired North Korea could also
or how far they flew. be demonstrating its dis-
But Japanese Chief Cabi- pleasure over South Ko-
net Secretary Yoshihide rea displaying for the first
Suga said the North fired time some of its newly pur-
two ballistic missiles from the chased U.S.-made F-35
country's east coast, and stealth fighter jets at its People watch a TV showing a file image of North Korea's missile launch during a news program at
one of them appeared to Armed Forces Day cer- the Seoul Railway Station in Seoul, South Korea, Wednesday, Oct. 2, 2019.
have landed inside Japan's emony on Tuesday. The Associated Press
exclusive economic zone North has called the F-35
off its northwestern coast. purchases a grave provo- tially surrendering its nucle- Republic of Korea. action in his country seven
There were no reports of cation that violate recent ar capabilities. State Department spokes- years after giving up a rudi-
damage to Japanese ves- inter-Korean agreements North Korea's subsequent woman Morgan Ortagus, mentary nuclear program
sels or aircraft traveling in aimed at lowering military belligerent rhetoric and re- who is traveling with Secre- that was far less advanced
the area, he said. The North tensions. cent short-range weapons tary of State Mike Pompeo than North Korea's.
had not fired a weapon Kim Dong-yub, an analyst tests have been seen as an in Rome, said later she did The office of South Korean
that reached inside Ja- from Seoul's Institute for attempt to gain leverage not have further details to President Moon Jae-in,
pan's EEZ since November Far Eastern Studies and a before resuming the nego- share about the meeting. who lobbied hard to set up
2017 at the height of an former military official who tiations. Last month, North Korea the first summit between
unusually provocative run participated in inter-Kore- In a statement released praised Trump for suggest- Kim and Trump last year
in nuclear and missile tests. an military talks, said the through state media, Choe ing Washington may pur- in Singapore, welcomed
Japanese Prime Minister North's launch was clearly Son Hui, North Korea's first sue an unspecified "new Choe's announcement
Shinzo Abe condemned aimed at increasing pres- vice minister of foreign af- method" in the negotia- and expressed hope the re-
the launches and said sure on Washington ahead fairs, said the two nations tions. North Korea also has sumed talks would result in
they violate U.N. resolutions of planned weekend talks will have preliminary con- welcomed Trump's deci- "substantial progress" in de-
against the North. where it might demand tact on Friday before hold- sion to fire hawkish former nuclearization and peace.
"We will continue to coop- concessions on U.S.-led ing working-level talks on National Security Adviser That could be a tall order.
erate with the U.S. and the sanctions against its crip- Saturday. She did not say John Bolton, who advocat- The diplomacy between
international community pled economy. where it would take place. ed a "Libya model" of uni- Trump and Kim has been
and do the utmost to main- Nuclear negotiations halt- "It is my expectation that lateral denuclearization as driven chiefly by their per-
tain and protect the safety ed following a February the working-level nego- a template for North Korea. sonalities rather than an
of the people as we stay on summit between Kim Jong tiations would accelerate The 2004 disarmament of established diplomatic
alert," Abe said. Un and President Don- the positive development Libya is seen by North Ko- process, and working-lev-
The launches, which were ald Trump in Vietnam that of the DPRK-U.S. relations," rea as a deeply provoca- el meetings have fleshed
the North's ninth round of broke down after the U.S. Choe said in the statement, tive comparison because out the logistics of summits
weapons tests since late rejected North Korean de- using an abbreviation for Libyan leader Moammar without bringing the coun-
July, came hours after a se- mands for broad sanctions North Korea's formal name, Gadhafi was killed follow- tries closer to any nuclear
nior North Korean diplomat relief in exchange for par- the Democratic People's ing U.S.-supported military agreement.q