North Korea has in recent months increased the frequency of ballistic missile testing, all believed to be capable of carrying nuclear warheads [Xinhua]
The North Korean military on Sunday tested a new anti-aircraft weapon, according to the country’s news agency.
This is the third weapons test in as many weeks as Pyongyang says it is responding to threats from the United States and South Korea.
The North Korean military also accused Seoul of flying a pilot-less drone into its territory on Saturday.
Earlier, South Korea had accused Pyongyang of a similar incident near the demarcation line separating the two countries.
North Korean media said that the anti-aircraft weapon test was successful and that leader Kim Jong-un had ordered its mass production and deployment.
Last week, North Korea continued with its near weekly missile tests by launching the ground-to-ground Pukguksong-2 missile.
The North’s official Korean Central News Agency reported that the Pukguksong-2 will now be produced and deployed throughout the country.
Meanwhile, China this week said that the only way to defuse tensions on the Korean Peninsula was to hold diplomatic talks.
China’s UN ambassador Liu Jieyi said that dialogue had produced positive results in the past and should be the best way to convince Pyongyang of denuclearization.
But the Trump administration wants China to do more, despite the US President praising his Chinese counterpart for efforts to rein in North Korea.
On Friday, US State Department official Susan Thornton said that China is the country that holds the most leverage over the North.
During a visit to Beijing last week, she said that if China did not use that leverage it could lead to problems in the US-Sino relationship.
The BRICS Post with inputs from Agencies
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