Kim Jong-un visits the National Defense Revolution Museum to strengthen his image before the US-North Korea summit
U.S. President Trump hinted on the 12th that he might meet with North Korean leader Kim Jong-un during the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) summit in November. On the 13th, North Korean official media announced that Kim Jong-un attended the opening ceremony of the National Defense Revolution Museum. The exhibits include the "Hwasong-20" intercontinental ballistic missile with a range that covers the entire continental United States. Experts pointed out that one of the intentions of Kim Jong-un's trip may be to strengthen his image and gain strategic advantages before the US-North Korea summit.
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Kim Jong-un uses military display to gain strategic advantage
The North Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) reported that Kim Jong-un, accompanied by his wife Ri Sol-ju and daughter Kim Ju-ae, visited the newly built National Defense Revolution Museum on the 11th, displaying the development trajectory and achievements of iconic weapons from drones to intercontinental missiles during Kim Jong-un’s leadership.
Shin Jong-woo, an expert at the South Korea Defense and Security Forum, pointed out that the display area of the Hwasong-20 launcher is accompanied by warhead design drawings and maps spanning the United States, the Middle East, Australia and South America. The purpose is to highlight Kim Jong-un’s achievements in the development of national defense science. Lim Eul-chul (transliteration), a professor at Kyungnam National University's Institute of Far Eastern Studies, believes that the museum reflects Kim Jong-un's attempt to transform military achievements into long-lasting symbols and political legacies through military displays.
When asked by a reporter whether he would meet with Kim Jong-un at the APEC summit in Shenzhen, Trump responded: "I might," emphasizing that the two have a good relationship and are excited about the opportunity to meet. During Trump’s first term as president, he met with Kim Jong-un three times in Singapore, Hanoi, Vietnam, and the Demilitarized Zone on the Korean Peninsula, but failed to reach a breakthrough on the denuclearization issue.
North Korea tests ballistic missile, says core component technology upgraded
At the same time, South Korea's Joint Chiefs of Staff stated that several ballistic missiles launched from the Pyongyang area were detected on the 12th, with some having a range of more than 900 kilometers and eventually falling into the Sea of Japan. The National Security Office held an emergency meeting to review the military's war preparations and increase monitoring of possible additional launch operations.
KCNA confirmed on the 13th that it test-fired a "tactical ballistic missile to confirm the research results of technological upgrades of important core components," but did not elaborate further. Yonhap News Agency pointed out that this update is important for improving the performance of all attack weapon systems. In response to South Korea's successful test-fire of a locally developed hypersonic glide vehicle (HGV) four days ago, Pyongyang's move has a countermeasure.
Three South Korean soldiers were injured by landmines in the Demilitarized Zone (DMZ) between the two Koreas on September 21, exacerbating tensions between the two Koreas. Seoul demands that Pyongyang apologize, restart negotiations on the military demarcation line and remove all landmines planted south of the line; North Korea denies deliberately laying landmines on the border.
On the other hand, South Korean Unification Minister Chung Dong-young disclosed in Congress in March this year that North Korea was suspected of having a uranium enrichment facility in Kusong, in the northwest. This triggered a protest in the United States, claiming that it had disclosed sensitive information from the US intelligence system without authorization, and began to "restrict" the provision of some North Korean satellite intelligence that would have been regularly transferred to South Korea. On the 12th, South Korean Ambassador to the United States Kang Kyung-wha attended the National Affairs Supervision Meeting of the Congressional Foreign Affairs and Unification Committee held in Washington on the 12th. He admitted that intelligence sharing is one of the biggest problems facing South Korea and the United States diplomacy. The United States has doubts about the intelligence cooperation between the two countries, and there are also limitations in the communication channels between South Korea and senior White House officials.
