North Korea's Kim Jong-un oversees 'strike drills' of new weapons systems

The US sought to play down the significance of North Korea’s latest missile tests.

Mike Pompeo, the Secretary of State, insisted that the drills did not cross international boundaries and posed no threat to the US, Japan or South Korea.

Hours earlier North Korea confirmed it had tested long-range multiple rocket launchers and tactical guided weapons, and released images of the first launch of a short-range ballistic missile in more than a year.

The resumption of tests raised tensions with Seoul and Washington.

But speaking on ABC’s “This Week”, Mr Pompeo said the tests involved short range missiles as he sought to defuse the situation.

“We still believe there is an opportunity for a negotiated outcome where we will get a verifiable denuclearisation.

“Chairman Kim has not been able to get what he wants, but hopefully we can get him round the negotiating table.”

Despite the lack of a breakthrough, Donald Trump has maintained his conciliatory stance towards Pyongyang, tweeting his continued confidence that he will reach a deal with Kim Jong-Un.

The resumption of tests was announced by Pyongyang’s official Korean Central News Agency.

It said Kim Jong-un had “guided the strike drill” on Saturday and expressed “great satisfaction” about its combat readiness. He stressed that his frontline troops should keep a “high alert posture” to defend the country’s political and economic sovereignty.

The barrage of tests in the East Sea, also known as the Sea of Japan, comes amid stalled negotiations with the US over North Korea’s nuclear and missiles programmes, and Pyongyang’s increasing frustration over Washington’s refusal to ease sanctions.

The official Rodong Sinmun newspaper returned to familiar images from the tense international standoff with North Korea in 2017 – showing Kim, equipped with binoculars, observing the tests of different weapons systems, including an explosion of what seemed to be a target set on island rocks.

Donald Trump, the US president, nevertheless voiced confidence on Saturday that nuclear talks could successfully resume. 

“Anything in this very interesting world is possible, but I believe that Kim Jong Un fully realizes the great economic potential of North Korea, & will do nothing to interfere or end it. He also knows that I am with him & does not want to break his promise to me. Deal will happen!” he tweeted.

A statement from South Korea's presidential Blue House said it was "greatly concerned," calling the tests a violation of a military agreement signed by both Koreas last year to completely cease “all hostile acts”. The last North Korean missile launch was in November 2017.

However, the strike drill did not violate Kim’s self-imposed nuclear and missile-testing moratorium, which only applied to intercontinental-range ballistic missiles capable of striking the United States.

Last month Kim issued a year-end ultimatum to resolve differences with the US over nuclear disarmament after his direct talks with President Trump at a summit in Hanoi in February did not produce a deal.

North Korea experts believe that the latest round of tests were an indication that Kim is losing patience but that the window for negotiations is not yet closed.

“The tests don't bode well for diplomacy, but they don't mark the closing of the door. They signal to the United States that time is running out; Kim has, after all, set the clock ticking for the end of the year,” North Korea analyst Ankit Panda told The Telegraph.

The launches followed last month's test-firing of very short range tactical weapons, and came just days after Choe Son Hui, a senior North Korean diplomat, chastised Mike Pompeo, US secretary of state, for making "foolish and dangerous" comments in nuclear talks with the North. 

Pyongyang had already demanded that the US replace Mr Pompeo, the lead American negotiator on nuclear talks, with someone “more mature.”

Analysts believe that Pyongyang appears intent on raising pressure on Washington to reignite talks, but also pointed to Kim’s need to reassert his strength after a humiliating end to the Hanoi summit when he left empty-handed.

South Korea’s Joint Chiefs of Staff said on Saturday that “several projectiles” had been launched from near the North Korean coastal town of Wonsan and that they flew up to 125 miles before splashing down. The distance flown would put the South Korean capital, Seoul, within range

Some experts analysing state media photos of the ballistic missile launch said it appeared to be modeled after Russia’s 9K720 Iskander mobile short-range ballistic missile (SRBM) system.

“Debuting this new solid fuel SRBM is definitely a rung up the testing ladder,” said Vipin Narang, associate professor and nuclear proliferation expert at MIT.

“To me it serves three purposes. First, the domestic purpose of showing strength on defence and a response to South Korea-US exercises.

"Second, it reminds the US what awaits it if it allows the end of year deadline to expire without changing course on negotiations. High temperature and crisis, and this time with few diplomatic offramps,” he said.

But the escalation could also mirror a historical North Korean playbook of gradually pushing the line during a time of stalled negotiations, added Mr Narang.

“This SRBM lets Kim see how far he can go with Trump before POTUS stops turning a blind eye.”