North Korea places long-range nuke missiles on mobile launchers as it threatens ‘nice surprise’ for Donald Trump inauguration
NORTH Korea is 'readying two intercontinental ballistic missiles' to 'nuke' Donald's Trump inauguration, it's been reported.
Military officials say the rogue state wants to send a "strategic message" to the incoming US President by timing launches to ruin his big day tomorrow.
In a statement, South Korea's Joint Chief of Staff said the reports could not be confirmed but said the military was monitoring the situation closely.
However, according to news reports in South Korea two missiles have already been placed on mobile launchers.
The devices "are estimated to not exceed 15 meters (50 feet) in length, making them shorter than the North's existing ICBMs."
A news agency quoted unnamed military officials as saying the North was attempting to send a "strategic message" to incoming Trump ahead of his inauguration tomorrow.
An ICBM test in the coming days is "highly plausible," Andrei Lankov, a professor at Seoul's Kookmin University, told .
"Judging by earlier behaviour they usually like to greet a newly elected American president with some kind of nice surprise like a nuclear (test) or missile launch," he said.
"Because President-elect Trump tweeted that 'it won't happen,' such a launch could be seen as a serious humiliation for (the US)."
The news comes as satellite imagery shows increased activity at a major North Korean nuclear site, according to a new report.
Traditional nuclear weapons use plutonium (or uranium) as their main fuel. The "Fat Man" bomb the US dropped on Nagasaki used 14 pounds of plutonium, producing a blast equivalent to about 21,000 tons of TNT.
Yesterday we told how Kim's rogue state said it will stick to its dual pursuit of nuclear weapons and economic growth ahead of the inauguration of the President-elect later this week.
It made it clear it will continue to develop nuclear weapons in tandem with boosting the country's moribund economy, commonly known as the 'byeongjin' policy, according to the Korean Central News Agency (KCNA).
"By firmly sticking to the policy, we will soar as a great political, military and economic power," the state- run news agency said.
The threat comes after it was revealed Kim's military will have nuclear warheads capable of striking US territory within a YEAR.
Since taking power the North Korean dictator has dramatically increased his country’s nuclear weapons programme.
According to , his Musudan missiles - with a range of 3,500 miles - will be ready within a year.
It was not clear what Trump meant: whether he believed North Korea was incapable of developing a reliable ICBM, or that the US would prevent it doing so.
The rogue state caused international uproar after it conducted its fourth nuclear test in January and fifth in September in defiance of furious international reaction and stiff sanctions.
The North's hardline message comes as a new US administration to be led by Trump will take office on Friday.
North Korea's leader said in his New Year's message that his country has entered the final stage of its preparations to test-fire an intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM).
Trump's pick for defence secretary James Mattis told at his confirmation hearing on Jan. 12 that as the North's nuclear and missile development is "a serious threat," the US should "do something about it."
North Korea has long claimed that it is developing nuclear weapons as a deterrent against what it calls Washington's hostile policy towards Pyongyang.
"North Korea is sending messages (to the US in various ways) in a bid to put pressure on the US to shift its policy toward North Korea," said an official at Seoul's unification ministry.