North Korea has 'everything to lose': Donald Trump after Sohae test

The President of United States Donald Trump said that North Korea has 'everything to lose' through its hostility towards the US on December 8. This was in response to the major new weapons test which took place in Pyongyang. Trump also said that he would be 'surprised' by any hostile action by the North Korean leader and stressed that they both share a 'very good relationship'. The North Korean media earlier stated that Pyongyang had carried out a 'very important' test at the Sohae satellite launch site. This was the same site which US officials once said that Kim had promised to close. 

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Trump has also said that even if Kim does not want to hinder their 'special relationship' but the nation must 'denuclearize as promised'. However, the reported test in North Korea comes ahead of the year-end deadline which Pyongyang had imposed on Washington to drop its insistence on unilateral denuclearization. Kim has even warned that his nation could take another path amid halted talks with Trump. The media reports stated that the test was successful and significant, but it did not mention what was tested. However, missile experts said that it appeared like the North Koreans had conducted a static test of a rocket engine instead of a missile launch. 

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N Korea demands unilateral denuclearization

North Korea had set a year-end deadline for the US to change its policy of demanding Pyongyang’s unilateral denuclearization and demanded relief from punishing sanctions. Tensions have risen as it is already December and North Korean leader Kim Jong Un has warned that he could take an unspecified “new path” in 2020. Kim's statement could mean a return to the nuclear bomb and long-range missile testing suspended since 2017. North Korea’s Foreign Ministry on December 4 reiterated the call for the US to change its “hostile policies” and said it was up to Washington to decide what “Christmas gift” came at the end of the year. 

Though the countries' leaders have met three times since 2018, the talks have not turned out fruitful. Their rhetorics has been considerably derogatory as in 2017, Trump called Kim Jong Un “Rocket Man” and North Korea slammed the US president, 73, as a “dotard”. The same reference was repeated by Trump on December 4 as he called Kim “Rocket Man” and said the United States reserved the right to use military force against North Korea.

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(with inputs from agencies)