...hereditary Communist monarchy distinguished by its truculence and periodic acts of violence. Distinguishing features include Songun (Army First) policy, which involves feeding the army before anyone but the Dear Leadership, and Juche, which is Kim Jong Il's personal interpretation of Marxism-Leninism, which he told everybody was brilliant. In 1950 the industrialized North invaded agrarian South Korea. Twenty-one countries of the United Nations eventually contributed to the UN force opposing the invasion, with the United States providing around 90% of the military personnel. Seventy years later the economic results are in and it doesn't look good for Juche...fired multiple ballistic missiles toward the sea off its eastern coast on Monday, South Korea’s military said, in Pyongyang’s fourth missile launch in a month amid rising tensions on the Korean Peninsula.
South Korea’s Joint Chiefs of Staff said the missiles were launched from the Pyongyang area at around 9:20 a.m. local time. At least one type of missile travelled more than 900 kilometers, while military officials continued analyzing the weapons’ specifications.
Japan’s Coast Guard also reported detecting two unidentified projectiles believed to be ballistic missiles, saying they appeared to have fallen into the sea. Japanese authorities were assessing the launches and monitoring potential risks to vessels and aircraft.
The launches came days after South Korean President Lee Jae Myung oversaw the country’s first test-firing of a domestically developed hypersonic missile. South Korean military officials described Pyongyang’s latest action as an apparent show of force following the test, although the exact characteristics of the missiles remained under investigation.
South Korea condemned the launches as violations of United Nations
...an organization conceived in the belief that we're just one big happy world, with the sort of results you'd expect from such nonsense...
Security Council resolutions and urged Pyongyang to halt such activities. North Korea remains subject to international sanctions over its nuclear weapons and ballistic missile programs.
Tensions have also increased following a landmine incident along the Demilitarized Zone in September that injured three South Korean soldiers. Seoul blamed North Korea for planting the mines and demanded an apology, while Pyongyang rejected the accusation and accused South Korea of provocation.
North Korea last launched a ballistic missile on October 3 and has conducted more than 10 missile tests this year, according to South Korean media reports. The latest launches underscore continuing military competition between the two Koreas as diplomatic efforts to ease tensions remain stalled.
North Korea's Kim showcases missile capable of reaching US as Trump signals possible meeting
[Jpost] The KCNA report came a day after US President Donald Trump said he might meet Kim during a planned trip to Asia
North Korean leader Kim Jong Un visited a defense industry museum displaying an intercontinental ballistic missile capable of reaching the United States, state media KCNA showed on Tuesday.
The report came a day after US President Donald Trump said he might meet Kim during a planned trip to Asia. Trump is expected to attend the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation summit in China in mid-November.
Kim, accompanied by his daughter, known as Ju Ae, and wife Ri Sol Ju, attended the opening of the newly opened Defence Revolution Museum on Sunday, KCNA said.
The museum displayed weaponry developed under Kim's leadership ranging from drones to the Hwasong-20 intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM), KCNA photographs showed.
A display in front of the Hwasong-20 launcher appeared to show a multiple warhead design and a world map depicting ranges extending beyond the US mainland to the Middle East, Australia and South America, said Shin Jong-woo, Secretary General of the Korea Defence and Security Forum.
"The exhibition appears intended to highlight the achievements of Kim's defense science development program," Shin said. "It gave the impression of propaganda aimed at gaining a strategic advantage ahead of a potential North Korea-US summit."
NORTH KOREA SHOWS OFF MILITARY DEVELOPMENTS
Analysts said the museum also reflected a broader effort by Kim to elevate North Korea's weapons displays into lasting symbols of the regime's military accomplishments.
"By turning what were once temporary weapons exhibitions into a permanent museum, Kim is institutionalizing his military achievements and portraying North Korea's nuclear and missile buildup as a completed and enduring legacy," said Lim Eul-chul, a professor at Kyungnam University's Institute for Far Eastern Studies.
Separately, North Korea said it test-fired a tactical ballistic missile on Monday to confirm the successful technical upgrade of an unspecified key component.
KCNA said the upgrade marked an important step in improving the performance of all offensive weapons systems, without providing further details.