North Korea claims to have nuclear warheads that can fit on missiles

North Korea claims to have miniaturized nuclear warheads to fit on ballistic missiles, North Korea's state-run Korea Central News Agency reported.

The report comes after the country reported a successful test of what it said was a hydrogen bomb in February and as tensions on the peninsula remain high as joint U.S.-South Korean military exercises take place.

State media reported Wednesday that North Korean leader Kim Jong Un met with nuclear scientists and technicians who briefed him on "research conducted to tip various type tactical and strategic ballistic missiles with nuclear warheads."

The agency also published photographs that appeared to show Kim visiting a facility where the warheads have been made to fit on ballistic missiles -- the first time state media has released images showing its miniaturized weapons technology. CNN cannot independently confirm the photos veracity, or the claims of KCNA.

David Albright of the Institute for Science and International Security told CNN's Brian Todd on Monday that his group thinks the North Koreans had probably already miniaturized a warhead.

A South Korean Defense White Paper from 2014 noted that its neighbor's ability to miniaturize nuclear weapons seemed, at the time, "to have reached a considerable level."

North Korea on Sunday warned it would make a "pre-emptive and offensive nuclear strike" in response to the joint exercises.

New nuclear threat from N. Korea over joint exercises 

The proclamation follows last week's sanctions announced by the 15-member U.N. Security Council.

 

Bomb test

 

Discussions about new sanctions started after North Korea claimed to have successfully tested a hydrogen bomb in January, its fourth nuclear test.

Then, in February, Pyongyang said it had successfully launched an Earth satellite into orbit via the long-range Kwangmyongsong carrier rocket.

How close is North Korea to weaponizing a rocket?

The Security Council called those moves "violations and flagrant disregard" of previous resolutions.

On Friday, KCNA reported that Kim said his country's "nuclear warheads need to be ready for use at any time."

North Korea test fires six missiles 

"Under the extreme situation that the U.S. imperialist is misusing its military influence and is pressuring other countries and people to start war and catastrophe, the only way for our people to protect sovereignty and rights to live is to strengthen the quality and quantity of nuclear power and realize the balance of power," Kim said, according to KCNA.

This rhetoric came out a day after the news agency reported tests of a new multiple-launch rocket system. This may or may not be referring to a launch of "short-range projectiles" chronicled one day earlier by the South Korean Joint Chiefs of Staff.

Pyongyang has long boasted about its nuclear ambitions, about as long as South Korea and the United States have sought to derail them. The issue has only furthered the isolation of North Korea, a communist, closed-off state led for decades by the authoritarian Kim, his late father and his grandfather.

A chief concern is not only that Pyongyang will develop effective nuclear warheads, but that they'll pair them with missiles that can strike targets around East Asia and perhaps beyond.

News Courtesy: www.cnn.com