South Korea military study declares North “enemy,” estimates plutonium stockpile at 70 kg

Thursday, February 16 was the first time in six years that South Korea has referred to North Korea as its “enemy” and reported an increase in Pyongyang’s stockpile of weapons-grade plutonium.

The yearly white paper provides a peek of the secretive North’s expanding nuclear and conventional military arsenals.

The North Korean dictatorship and military were referred to as “our adversary” for the first time since its 2016 edition, noting Pyongyang’s continuous weapons development, cyber and military provocations, and its recent characterization of the South as a “enemy.”

“As long as North Korea continues to pose military threats without giving up its nuclear weapons, its dictatorship and military, the principal agents of execution, are our adversaries,” the paper stated.

North Korea has begun reprocessing spent fuel from its reactor and now owns around 70kg (154lb) of weapons-grade plutonium, an increase over the previous estimate of 50kg.

Keep Reading

Six nuclear tests have yielded “considerable” volumes of highly enriched uranium and a “substantial degree of capability” to miniaturize atomic weapons, a definition that has not altered since 2018.

“Our military is increasing monitoring as the likelihood of an additional nuclear test rises,” a newspaper said, noting the repair of previously wrecked tunnels at North Korea’s testing site during the last year.

The North allegedly breached an inter-Korean military treaty prohibiting hostilities 15 times in 2018 alone, including a drone incursion in December, artillery fire inside a military buffer zone, and missiles launched across the de facto sea boundary into the South in November.

In its 2020 edition, the report stated that North Korea was “mostly” complying with the deal, which was signed during the 2018 summit between North Korean leader Kim Jong-un and then-South Korean President Moon Jae-in.

The most recent report recognized Pyongyang’s launches of intercontinental ballistic missiles in 2022, as well as the testing of the new Hwasong-17, but stated that further study is required to determine whether it has obtained superior missile re-entry capability.

For the first time since 2016, the daily referred to Japan as a “close neighbor with shared values” amidst efforts to heal relations damaged by history and trade disputes.

Read More: With the tourist boom, the Philippines aims to become Asia’s “cruise hub”

Burapha

Sawadee-khrup. I am a multicultural Thai newswriter that is always on the lookout for daily news that are intriguing and unique in my native country Thailand.

Recent Posts

Indonesia Extends Sales Ban to Google Pixel Following Non-Compliance with Investment Requirements

Indonesia’s Ministry of Industry has implemented a ban on the sale of Google Pixel phones within the country, adding to…

November 4, 2024

One Piece Unveils Revamped Fish-Man Island Saga with New Opening Theme as Anime Prepares for 2025 Return

One Piece offers a new take of the legendary Fish-Man Island arc, so fans are in for a nostalgic trip…

November 4, 2024

Johor to Pioneer Premium Salaries for Skilled Workers as Malaysia’s First State Initiative under Johor-Singapore SEZ

Particularly in areas related to the forthcoming Johor-Singapore Special Economic Zone (JS-SEZ), Johor is poised to become the first state…

November 4, 2024

China-Japan Diplomatic Groundwork Laid Ahead of Anticipated Xi-Ishiba Summit in South America

China and Japan are getting ready for what would be a historic meeting between Chinese President Xi Jinping and freshly…

November 4, 2024

Philippines Triumphs with Fifth Consecutive East Asia Baseball Cup Title

Celebrating their fifth straight East Asia Baseball Cup title, the Philippines men's baseball team savored a historic triumph. Sunday in…

November 4, 2024

Japan’s Bold “Conveyor Belt Road” to Solve Truck Driver Shortages with Automated Cargo Transport

Officially known as an "auto flow road," the government of Japan has presented plans for a revolutionary "conveyor belt road,"…

November 3, 2024

This website uses cookies.

Read More