PYONGYANG, November 16. /TASS/. North Korea’s advanced tactical weapon, successfully tested recently, took over seven years to develop, the Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) reported on Friday, adding that the development effort had started under the country’s late leader Kim Jong-il.
According to the agency, incumbent North Korean leader Kim Jong-un witnessed the weapon’s test conducted at a testing ground belonging to the country’s Academy of Defense Science. KCNA stressed that the newly developed weapon, based on cutting-edge technologies, would ensure a rapid growth in North Korea’s defense capabilities. However, the news agency did not provide any details as to what kind of weapon had been tested and whether its development was part of the country’s nuclear program.
KCNA also released photos of Kim Jong-un surrounded by high-ranking military officers, which had been taken at the testing ground.
In April 2018, North Korea announced the suspension of nuclear and missile tests, seeking to shift priority to the country's economic development and efforts to improve living standards. In May, Pyongyang dismantled the Punggye-ri nuclear test site, where six underground nuclear tests had been carried out.
On June 12, Singapore hosted a historic meeting between North Korean leader Kim Jong-un and US President Donald Trump. The parties signed a joint document, in which Pyongyang committed to denuclearizing the Korean Peninsula in return for US security guarantees. However, talks on the implementation of the agreements reached by Pyongyang and Washington have come to a standstill in the past few weeks as US officials said on numerous occasions that Washington was unwilling to lift its trade blockade until North Korea completely destroyed its nuclear capabilities.