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WORLD NEWS Tuesday 30 May 2017

North Korean missile launch may be testing rivals, not technology

By FOSTER KLUG and the arrival in Korean
HYUNG-JIN KIM waters of powerful U.S.
Associated Press military hardware. Scuds
SEOUL, South Korea (AP) are capable of striking U.S.
— North Korea’s latest mis- troops in South Korea, for in-
sile test Monday may have stance, and the two newly
less to do with perfecting developed missiles tested
its weapons technology earlier this month have po-
than with showing U.S. and tential ranges that include
South Korean forces in the Japan, Guam and even,
region that it can strike according to some South
them at will. Korean analysts, Alaska.
South Korean and Japa- The missile was launched
nese officials said the from the coastal town of
suspected Scud-type Wonsan, the South’s Joint
short-range missile flew Chiefs of Staff said in a
about 450 kilometers (280 statement. It landed in Ja-
miles) on Monday morn- pan’s exclusive maritime
ing before landing in Ja- economic zone, which
pan’s maritime economic is set about 200 nautical
zone, setting off the usual miles off the Japanese
round of condemnation coast, Japanese Chief A woman watches a TV screen showing a file footage of North Korean leader Kim Jong Un, at
from Washington and the Cabinet Secretary Yoshi- Seoul Train Station in Seoul, South Korea, Monday, May 29, 2017. North Korea fired a short-range
North’s neighbors. hide Suga said. He said ballistic missile that landed in Japan’s maritime economic zone Monday, officials said, the latest
in a string of test launches as the North seeks to build nuclear-tipped ICBMs that can reach the
It’s the latest in a string of there was no report of U.S. mainland.
test launches by North Ko- damage to planes or ves- (AP Photo/Lee Jin-man)
rea as it seeks to build nu- sels in the area.
clear-tipped intercontinen- North Korea is still thought leased a statement, with- The official Korean Central Monday’s launch was
tal ballistic missiles that can to be several years from out mentioning the launch, News Agency cited Kim as North’s Korea’s third bal-
reach the U.S. mainland, a its goal of being able to that accused Seoul and ordering officials to mass- listic missile launch since
drive that puts North Korea target U.S. mainland cities Washington of “aggravat- produce and deploy the South Korean President
high on the list of foreign with nuclear ICBMs. ing the situation” on the Ko- system all over the country Moon Jae-in was inau-
policy worries for Japan, South Korea says North rean Peninsula by conduct- so as to “completely spoil gurated on May 10. He
Washington and Seoul. Korea has conducted ing joint military drills and the enemy’s wild dream to has signaled an interest
North Korea already has nine ballistic missile tests other “reckless acts.” command the air.” in expanding civilian ex-
an arsenal of reliable short- this year, including one in On Sunday, North Korea Trump has alternated be- changes with North Korea,
range missiles. While North which four missiles were also said leader Kim Jong tween bellicosity and flat- but it’s unclear if he’ll be
Korean scientists could launched on the same Un had watched a sepa- tery in his public statements able to push anytime soon
be tweaking them — for day. rate, successful test of a about North Korea, but his for major rapprochement
instance, developing a North Korea’s state-con- new type of anti-aircraft administration is still working while the North continues
new solid-fuel short-range trolled media had no im- guided weapon system. to solidify a policy on han- to make serious advances
missile — the North tests mediate comment on The report didn’t say when dling the North’s nuclear in its nuclear and missile
these shorter-range missiles Monday’s test, but re- the test happened. ambitions. programs.q
much less than it does its
less dependable, longer-
range missiles. South African ruling party backs scandal-tainted Zuma
This sets up the possibility
that North Korea hopes to JOHANNESBURG (AP) — A nority rule in 1994. ing over the weekend. attribute the ANC’s poor
use the test to show it can leader of South Africa’s Gwede Mantashe, secre- While Mantashe’s com- performance in local elec-
hit U.S. targets near and ruling party says calls for tary general of the African ment suggests Zuma will tions last year to scandals
far and emphasize its de- the resignation of scandal- National Congress, spoke continue to retain signifi- surrounding the president.
fiance of U.S.-led pressure tainted President Jacob on Monday about the cant support within the They are also concerned
on its missile and nuclear Zuma benefit opposition ef- need for party unity after divided ruling party de- about a dip in popular-
programs, which has in- forts to dislodge the party some ANC members cam- spite concerns about al- ity ahead of national elec-
cluded vague threats from that has led the country paigned in vain for Zuma’s leged government cor- tions in 2019.q
President Donald Trump since the end of white mi- ouster at a high-level meet- ruption, many in the party