North Korea: The United States released a statement that North Korea wants to once again resume talks. Hours after the statement about resuming talks from Pyongyang, they launched two missile tests that landed in the Sea of Japan, stated the South Korea government. President Trump consistently tells the North that they would have a bright future if they decided to come to terms and denuclearize, to which North Korea responds that they will not give up their nuclear weapons. North Korea maintained a position that they need their nuclear devices to maintain peace on the Korean peninsula as well as defend themselves from outside pressure. Previously, the United States had made North Korea promise not to test and long-range ballistics that could reach Los Angeles and thus far, they have managed to keep that promise. Through the summer months, North Korea had ten test launches, but all being classified as a short-range test and President Trump has not seemed worried about them.
Analyst Notes
These two tests, hours after North Korea reached out to resumes talks, is North Korea’s way of trying to show President Trump that they will continue tests at will, but not upset Trump by testing long-range. North Korea has stated in the past that the United States will need to find something else to negotiate other than blatantly asking North Korea to forfeit its nuclear weapons.
