"North Korea's Nuclear Weapon Miniaturization" UN Report States "Significant Miniaturization Capability"

"Likely Same Assessment in the '2020 Defense White Paper'... 'Not Recognized as a Nuclear State'"

A North Korean soldier stands in front of the West Sea missile launch site in Dongchang-ri, Cholsan County, North Pyongan Province, where the long-range rocket 'Unha-3' was installed, in April 2012. Last month, 38 North, a U.S.-based North Korea specialist website, and the U.S. think tank Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS) both reported that, based on an analysis of recently captured commercial satellite images, signs have been detected that North Korea is rebuilding the Dongchang-ri missile launch site, where dismantling work had previously begun.

[Asia Economy Yang Nak-gyu, Military Specialist Reporter]The Ministry of National Defense stated on the 4th that it assessed North Korea has likely developed miniaturized nuclear weapons, in response to a United Nations report, saying "North Korea's capability to miniaturize nuclear weapons is at a considerable level."

At a regular briefing that day, Deputy Spokesperson Moon Hong-sik of the Ministry of National Defense was asked about the UN Panel of Experts under the Security Council's sanctions committee evaluating that North Korea has miniaturized nuclear warheads, and he responded accordingly.

Deputy Spokesperson Moon said, "As the Ministry of National Defense has mentioned several times, we assess that North Korea's capability to miniaturize nuclear weapons has reached a considerable level," adding, "We are closely monitoring North Korea's nuclear and missile developments, and the South Korea-US intelligence authorities maintain a close cooperative system." However, he emphasized, "Our government does not recognize North Korea as a nuclear-armed state."

The '2018 Defense White Paper' also described North Korea's nuclear capability, stating, "The capability to miniaturize nuclear weapons appears to have reached a considerable level." This is based on a joint assessment by South Korea and the US. The Ministry of National Defense is known to describe North Korea's nuclear capability at a similar level in the upcoming '2020 Defense White Paper' scheduled for publication at the end of the year.

According to a report by the UN Panel of Experts under the Security Council's North Korea Sanctions Committee, as reported by Reuters on the 3rd (local time), multiple countries assessed that North Korea "has probably developed miniaturized nuclear weapons that can fit into ballistic missile warheads."

One country evaluated that North Korea "may pursue further miniaturization to achieve technical improvements or potentially develop a multiple warhead system," Reuters reported.

Korean military experts also anticipate that following the development of miniaturized nuclear weapons, North Korea will proceed to develop multiple warhead intercontinental ballistic missiles (ICBMs).