North Korea 'likely' to test nuclear weapons before Party Congress

(Baonghean.vn) -US Deputy Secretary of StateTony BlinkenApril 27 saidNorth Korea "most likely"willconduct a nuclear or missile test firstCongressLabor partytakes place on May 6next.

Illustration photo: KCNA.

Mr. Blinken said of North Korea's provocations during a hearing of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee: "The United States expects North Korea to continue testing, most likely before the Labor Party Congress, despite UN sanctions. It could be another missile test, or even a nuclear test."

Mr. Blinken said that North Korea's recent actions are moving closer to the ability to attack the United States and its allies with nuclear-armed ballistic missiles.

Mr. Blinken also said that the continuous provocations are the biggest cause of instability on the Korean peninsula and emphasized that the threat named North Korea is the number one concern not only for the US, but also for China.

"Unless China exerts influence over North Korea, the United States will be forced to act to protect its allies and itself," Mr. Blinken said.

Mr. Blinken announced that the US will begin deploying the THAAD missile defense system in South Korea, which is receiving strong opposition from China.

Thanh Hien

(According to Yonhap)