North Korea To Test Nuclear Device On Birth Anniversary Of Kim Jong-Un's Grandfather?

North Korea may possibly test its first nuclear weapon during one of the country’s most important holidays. The United States has expressed concern about the likelihood of Pyongyang launching a nuclear weapons test on April 15 to mark the 110th birthday anniversary of its founder Kim Il Sung.

According to The Guardian, a US Special Envoy for North Korea Sung Kim said Washington strongly believes Pyongyang could demonstrate its nuclear capacity following its recent long-range ballistic missile test.

“We are worried that in connection with the upcoming anniversary, the DPRK may be tempted to take another provocative action,” Kim told reporters.

Using the country’s official name, the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea, Sung also added: “I don’t want to speculate too much, but I think it could be another missile launch, it could be a nuclear test.”

Sung went on to state how all partners and allies hope North Korea refrains from further provocation, with the country having ignored Washington’s offers to resume talks on abandoning its nuclear weapons program. Although the DPRK has not conducted a nuclear test since 2017, negotiations were said to have made some progress during the Trump administration. However, this came to a halt after US President Joe Biden failed to push Kim Jong-un to agree on the matter, leading the US to retain its sanctions in its bid to dismantle North Korea’s nuclear armament.

This week, Kim Jong-un’s powerful sister, Kim Yo Jong, issued a warning stating that Pyongyang will not hesitate to attack using its nuclear arsenal in the event South Korea launches a preemptive strike.

As it is, the UN Security Council had condemned all of North Korea’s 13 missile launches. The tests have since alarmed the immediate neighboring countries of South Korea and Japan. On Tuesday, Sung Kim traveled to Washington to meet with his Chinese counterpart for an in-depth discussion regarding the complete denuclearization of North Korea in a continued search for a resolution to Pyongyang’s threatening words and actions.

The outreach to China is due to North Korea’s rejection of all US entreaties offered on the table by the Biden administration. North Korea has yet to respond, as speculations lay heavy on the fact that the country has shut itself off during the Covid pandemic and has remained isolated since.