It is challenging to surpass a brand-new ballistic missile with the capability of striking the whole US. But North Korean leader Kim Jong Un did exactly that by inviting his little-known daughter as a surprise guest to the test launch.
Images of Kim and his daughter holding hands at a missile launch site on Saturday marked the first time the world had seen Kim’s daughter. This surprise appearance raises the possibility that the fourth generation of Kims will take control of the reclusive state and its expanding nuclear weapons.
According to North Korea’s official media, Kim, Ri Sol Ju, other officials, and his “dear daughter” watched the state’s brand-new intercontinental ballistic missile take flight on Friday.
The U.S. replied by sending supersonic bombers in a show of force after Kim claimed that the launch of the nuclear-capable Hwasong-17 missile demonstrated his possession of a reliable weapon to counteract military threats from the U.S.-led alliance.
According to some commentators, the latest indication to the outside world that North Korea has no intention of giving up its weapons was the father’s decision to tie his daughter so closely to the advancement of the nation’s nuclear program.
After a second unsuccessful launch in early November, a missile was launched on Friday. In reaction to Washington’s increased security presence in the area, the North threatened “fiercer” military retaliation on Thursday.
