North Korea is continuing to celebrate the
"historic completion" of its nuclear arsenal...
and is also pushing to earn full recognition
from other nations... as a member of the nuclear
club.
However, according to the latest analysis
of last Wednesday's missile test,...
U.S. officials now say the North Korean rocket...
likely broke up during re-entry.
Yu Joonhee reports.
North Korea's state media is continuing to
praise its latest ICBM test,... calling it
a "historic completion" of its nuclear weapons
program... and proof of its mastery in missile
technology.
A large rally was held in Pyongyang... and
celebratory remarks delivered by top regime
officials... to commemorate this self-proclaimed
milestone.
Analysts say this is a political move... aimed
at pressuring the U.S. to recognize the North
as a nuclear power... for use an important
bargaining chip before a possible return to
dialogue.
The reclusive nation may be willing to return
to the negotiating table with Washington...
as parties of equal standing... in order to
guarantee the regime's continued survival.
In fact,... following North Korea's initial
claim back in 2005... that it successfully
developed nuclear weapons,... one of the regime's
stated goals called for the improvement in
its relations with United States.
Also in 2007,... just a year following its
first nuclear test,... it also enjoyed major
success on the diplomatic front... including
an inter-Korean summit among other cross-border
agreements.
However, Pyongyang's true intentions aside,...
U.S. officials now say that last week's test-fired
missile,... may have broke up as it re-entered
the Earth's atmosphere.
Although technical analysis is ongoing,...
the officials say North Korea is struggling
to master the necessary re-entry technology,...
to obtain a fully-working ICBM.
It remains to be seen if Pyongyang's latest
escalation could,... ironic as it may sound,...
provide the impetus for renewed talks between
North Korea and the U.S.
Yu Joonhee, Arirang News.
