North Korea calls for Pompeo to be dropped from talks; tests tactical weapon

[Eugene]

Source: Reuters

WORLD NEWS APRIL 17, 2019 / 5:28 PM / UPDATED AN HOUR AGO

North Korea calls for Pompeo to be dropped from talks; tests tactical weapon

Joyce Lee, Hyonhee Shin
6 MIN READ

SEOUL (Reuters) - North Korea said on Thursday it no longer wanted to deal with U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo and said he should be replaced in talks by someone more mature, hours after it announced its first weapons test since nuclear talks broke down.

The North’s official KCNA news agency quoted senior foreign ministry official Kwon Jong Gun as warning that no one could predict the situation on the Korean peninsula if the United States did not abandon the “root cause” that compelled North Korea to develop nuclear weapons.

The statement came shortly after North Korea announced that leader Kim Jong Un had overseen the testing of a new tactical guided weapon, which KCNA said has a “peculiar mode of guiding flight” and “a powerful warhead”.

It was the North’s first weapon test since talks in Vietnam between Kim and U.S. President Donald Trump in late February broke down over conflicting demands by North Korea for sanctions relief and by the United States for North Korea to abandon its nuclear program.

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Read more: https://www.reuters.com/article/us-northkorea-weapon/north-korea-calls-for-pompeo-to-be-dropped-from-talks-tests-tactical-weapon-idUSKCN1RT2KY

[dewsgirl]

1. I think this was supposed to be a distraction, barely a

blip on the radar. I don't think MSNBC even mentioned it yesterday.

[Kurt V.]

2. Being immature is a requirement in this WH.

[soryang]

3. The "weapons test" is mostly for domestic consumption

There was no military parade on the "Day of the Sun" celebration on April 15. That is the more significant symbolic event.