Seoul: Photographs showing a North Korean missile launched from a submarine were manipulated by state propagandists and the country may be years away from developing such technology, analysts and a top US military official said.
North Korea, sanctioned by the United States and United Nations for its missile and nuclear tests, said on May 9 it had successfully conducted an underwater test-fire of a submarine-launched ballistic missile which, if true, would indicate progress in its pursuit of missile-equipped submarines.
On Wednesday, North Korea warned the United States not to challenge its sovereign right to boost military deterrence and boasted of its ability to miniaturise nuclear warheads, a claim it has made before and which has been widely questioned by experts and never verified. On Wednesday, the country also cancelled an invitation to the UN chief Ban Ki-moon to visit. The UN chief condemned this abrupt decision “deeply regrettable”. Ban said that via “diplomatic channels”, North Korea rescinded its invitation to Kaesong zone.
