<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
Following Kim Jong Un\u2019s announcement at the 7th Worker\u2019s
\nParty Congress of the intent to pursue the \u201cByungjin Line,\u201d or parallel
\ndevelopment of nuclear weapons and the nation\u2019s economy, reaffirming the regime\u2019s
\ndetermination to pursue nuclear development, sources inside the country report
\nthat a fifth nuclear test may be imminent.<\/p>\n
A high-ranking source in Pyongyang confirmed this report,
\nstating that although the planned date for the fifth nuclear test launch has
\nyet to be announced, Kim Jong Un appears to be following through on
\nannouncements made during the 7th Party Congress.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe regime is ready and able to conduct a nuclear test at
\nany time, which seems even more likely given the related training directives
\ntargeting cadres that were also recently announced,\u201d the source explained,
\nadding that Kim Jong Un will likely continue to trumpet the regime\u2019s pursuit of
\nnuclear weapons both domestically and internationally.<\/p>\n
Hushed speculation among some Party cadres sees the emphasis
\non nuclear weapons as an expression of discontent by the young leader over
\nChina\u2019s active participation in sanctions against the country. Still others
\ntake this point further, claiming that increasingly frayed bilateral ties at
\nthe government level have driven North Korea to seek reprisal against its
\nlongtime ally for \u201cbending to US demands (i.e. sanctions).\u201d<\/p>\n
Apparently bolstering Kim Jong Un\u2019s resolve is word
\ncirculating among pockets of senior military cadres, who assert that in the
\nlikely event that China swiftly dispatches a delegation in an attempt to
\npreclude another nuclear test, North Korea should not bend to the former\u2019s
\nwill. \u201cThey see China as looking down on North Korea and want the leadership to
\nuse this opportunity [the nuclear test] to highlight its displeasure,\u201d the
\nsource said, speculating that Kim Jong Un\u2019s order to prepare for the fifth test
\nis tied to his awareness of these sentiments.<\/p>\n
As ever, there are competing interpretations of both the
\nParty Congress and the recent ordinance to prepare for the nuclear test.
\nAccording to a separate high-ranking Party cadre in Pyongyang, who cited sentiments shared
\nin his circles, Kim Jong Un\u2019s emphasis on economic progress at the Party
\nCongress illustrates his potential to negotiate over nuclear development with
\nthe international community. This, they think, renders his threats little more
\nthan propaganda and severely diminishes the actual likelihood of a fifth
\nnuclear test.<\/p>\n
\u201cAll the talk coming down with concerns about the nuclear
\ntest notwithstanding, the fact is the country is deep into rice-planting season
\nnow, meaning there is no plausible reason for this to erupt into a political
\nissue for the time being,\u2019 he said, adding, \u201cMoreover, to turn around and carry
\nout another nuclear test after announcing plans to improve the economy for the
\npeople would further isolate the country and exacerbate domestic
\ndissatisfaction with the leadership.\u201d <\/p>\n
They are also concerned that such an event will result in
\nNorth Korea suffering disproportionately, and therefore predict that if North
\nKorea takes up its usual posturing, it may ultimately end up \u201ctrying to
\nextricate itself from the situation with its tail between its legs.\u201d <\/p>\n
<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
Following Kim Jong Un\u2019s announcement at the 7th Worker\u2019s Party Congress of the intent to pursue the \u201cByungjin Line,\u201d or parallel development of nuclear weapons and the nation\u2019s economy, reaffirming the regime\u2019s determination to pursue nuclear development, sources inside the country report that a fifth nuclear test may be imminent. A high-ranking source in Pyongyang […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":145,"featured_media":32688,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"wikipediapreview_detectlinks":true,"footnotes":""},"categories":[645],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-32686","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-economy"],"yoast_head":"\n