Kim Jong Un Ends Testing Moratorium And Threatens To Unveil New "Strategic Weapon" (Updated)

It seems clear now that the period of detente with the United States is at its end. 


Kim Jong Un has decided to roll the clock back two years in his New Year's address that caps off the Central Committee's annual meeting. In it, he declared an end to the testing moratorium he placed on his nuclear and long-range ballistic missile programs during the period of detente with Washington D.C. and Seoul. He also warned that the world would see a new strategic weapon system from his country very soon. Whether this means within hours, days, weeks, or months remains unclear, but sooner is more likely than later if you take into account his regime's recent "Christmas gift" threat.

The reasoning behind these changes is too slow of progress with negotiations with the United States and in response to the same hardline sanctions that sit over his regime that were in place two years ago. In his address, Kim noted that the U.S. would "suffer helplessly" if the status quo doesn't change and accused the Trump Administration of "gangster-like demands." This is all well-traveled ground when it comes to North Korean rhetoric vis-a-vis the United States, but such a tone had taken a hiatus during the period of diplomacy. That period has clearly been marching toward an end over the last nine months or so as negotiations hit dead ends and no sanction relief materialized. 

Of course, there are still no signs that North Korea has any intention of giving up its nuclear arsenal. Doing so, at least without unprecedented concessions and aid in exchange, is totally illogical, especially as it has been made clear that actually going to war over the standoff would be unthinkable due to its immense cost in life and treasure according to Trump himself

We will have to see exactly what Kim's new weapon is, but most signs point to a new or updated intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) design, one that leverages solid fuel for at least one stage of its propulsion stack. A "strategic engine test" occurred earlier in December that was likely a precursor to an actual flight test of such a weapon. Putting his recycled make-shift ballistic missile submarine in the water is another, but less likely possibility, among others. 

Even though the Kim regime is a master of deceit and double talk, Kim Jong Un has been remarkably clear about his testing intentions and goals, and his weapons capabilities since accelerating both his nuclear and ballistic missile program in early 2016. Since then, the country's technological know-how has evolved at an incredible rate. Over the last two years, although there haven't been tests of these weapons, the programs have continued at full steam. As such, 24 months in North Korean weapons development years is a long time. It would be foolish to underestimate just how impressive Kim's new strategic weapon may be. 

Above all else, one thing is clear—North Korea's New Years' resolution is to end the standoff's current status quo, one way or another. 

We will update this post as more information comes available. 


Here is part of the KCNA readout from the Central Committee's meeting that goes into Kim's statements on the sanctions and the need to develop new weapons and military capabilities:

He noted that the huge and complicated work of developing the ultra-modern weapon system possessed only by the countries with advanced defence science and technology presupposed our own innovative solution in terms of the scientific and technical aspect without anyone's help, and all the research tasks were perfectly carried out by the driving force, i.e. our reliable scientists, designers and workers in the field of the munitions industry.



In the future, the more the U.S. stalls for time and hesitates in the settlement of the DPRK-U.S. relations, the more helpless it will find itself before the might of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea getting stronger beyond prediction and the deeper it will fall into an impasse, he noted.





He continued:








If we do not put spur to the struggle for bolstering the power for self-development while waiting for the lift of sanctions, the enemies' reactionary offensive will get fiercer to check our advance.


All the Party organizations and officials have to shoulder upon themselves the important duties entrusted to them by the times and turn out in the offensive for frontal breakthrough to foil the enemies' sanctions and blockade by dint of self-reliance.






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