Washington Post Surprised North Korea Developed Weapons During Test Moratorium

I don’t know why anyone in the media is surprised by this, the Kim regime never promised to stop weapons development, why would they?:

North Korea never halted efforts to build powerful new weapons, experts say

But the recent surge in activity also appears to confirm something that U.S. intelligence agencies have long suspected: Despite a self-imposed moratorium on testing its most advanced missiles during the past two years, North Korea never halted its efforts to build powerful, new weapons. Indeed, Kim’s scientists appear to have used the lull to improve and expand the country’s arsenal quietly, U.S. and East Asian officials say.

U.S. analysts say the two tests at Sohae appear to reflect months of continued work on North Korea’s arsenal of potent liquid-fueled missiles, which already includes two ICBMs, the Hwasong-14 and Hwasong-15, capable of striking the U.S.. But the country’s scientists have demonstrated progress on other kinds of missiles as well. In the months since the failed U.S.-North Korean summit in Vietnam, Pyongyang has tested five new short- and medium-range missiles, all of which use solid propellants. Solid-fueled missiles are more mobile and easier to hide compared with similar rockets that use liquid fuel.

Washington Post

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