North Korea appears to be struggling to obtain 'advanced' nuclear technology: Report

Despite its professed aim for a formidable arsenal of nuclear weapons and delivery systems, rth Korea appears to still have a long way to go before accomplishing what it wants, particularly in terms of techlogy to miniaturise bombs, according to an expert present at a state-run institute on April 27.

According to Lee Sang-min, a researcher at Korea Institute for Defense Analysis, rth Korean leader Kim Jong-un promised in public to speed up development of rth's nuclear capabilities and even threatened to use nuclear weapons if "any forces try to violate fundamental interests" of country.

Yonhap reported, at a conference in Seoul, Lee stated, "Assuming that its ultimate goal is to load warheads on an intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM), re is evidence that rth Korea has reached such a goal."

He said that rth appears to be struggling to secure sophisticated techlogies, such as shrinking of nuclear warheads and ballistic missile atmospheric re-entry capabilities, and that secretive regime's nuclear development has so far been based on rar rudimentary techlogy. Despite reports of a single test launch, he concluded that Pyongyang does t appear to have mastered ability to load a nuclear warhead atop its Hwasong-15 ICBM and strike a precise target. 

rth Korea lowering bar for nuclear use

Moreover, rth Korean leader Kim Jong-Un's speech at a recent military parade has sparked concerns that totalitarian state's nuclear strategy is evolving toward utilising nuclear weapons for offensive goals rar than only retaliation. Pyongyang held a military parade on Monday night to commemorate Korean People's Revolutionary Army's (KPRA) 90th anniversary.

During event, Kim said his nuclear forces "will have to decisively accomplish its unexpected second mission" if any forces try to violate his country's "fundamental interests." Kim's surprising comments, which signalled a shift in rth's nuclear doctrine, have international watchers concerned that threshold for using nuclear weapons has been lowered.

rth Korea's nuclear doctrine has traditionally been that it may respond to a nuclear attack by launching a retaliation strike against perpetrator. Kim's remarks came three weeks after his sister, Kim Yo-jong, threatened to use nuclear weapons if South Korea engs in a military conflict with its rrn neighbour, in response to President-elect Yoon Suk-mention yeol's of need for a preemptive strike during election campaign if rth appeared ready to fire a nuclear-tipped missile at South.

(With ncy inputs)