Kim Jong-un’s Disappearance Earlier This Month Is Explained
- 7 years ago
North Korean leader Kim Jong-un appeared to have gone silent for a couple weeks after a ballistic missile test in late July.
North Korean leader Kim Jong-un appeared to have gone silent for a couple weeks after a ballistic missile test in late July.
The Korea Times is reporting, based on inside sources, that he “secretly visited a military unit near the inter-Korean border in early August.”
There has since been speculation that Kim’s unannounced visit to the unit, located just over half a mile from a South Korean outpost, may have been to assess its readiness and provide additional orders.
The publication notes that he “returned to the media spotlight, Aug. 15, with a visit to the Command of the Strategic Force of the Korean People's Army.”
This activity comes during a time of tense relations between the isolated Asian country and the U.S. Just days ago, CNN reported that a North Korean newspaper called an annual military exercise the U.S. holds with South Korea “reckless behavior driving the situation into the uncontrollable phase of a nuclear war.”
The U.S. Department of Defense, or DoD, had confirmed late last week that the exercises would take place August 21 to 31.
According to a DoD news release, “[the] Ulchi Freedom Guardian is a computer-simulated defensive exercise designed to enhance readiness, protect the region and maintain stability on the Korean Peninsula, defense officials said. About 17,500 U.S. service members will participate, with about 3,000 coming from installations outside South Korea, the officials said.”
North Korean leader Kim Jong-un appeared to have gone silent for a couple weeks after a ballistic missile test in late July.
The Korea Times is reporting, based on inside sources, that he “secretly visited a military unit near the inter-Korean border in early August.”
There has since been speculation that Kim’s unannounced visit to the unit, located just over half a mile from a South Korean outpost, may have been to assess its readiness and provide additional orders.
The publication notes that he “returned to the media spotlight, Aug. 15, with a visit to the Command of the Strategic Force of the Korean People's Army.”
This activity comes during a time of tense relations between the isolated Asian country and the U.S. Just days ago, CNN reported that a North Korean newspaper called an annual military exercise the U.S. holds with South Korea “reckless behavior driving the situation into the uncontrollable phase of a nuclear war.”
The U.S. Department of Defense, or DoD, had confirmed late last week that the exercises would take place August 21 to 31.
According to a DoD news release, “[the] Ulchi Freedom Guardian is a computer-simulated defensive exercise designed to enhance readiness, protect the region and maintain stability on the Korean Peninsula, defense officials said. About 17,500 U.S. service members will participate, with about 3,000 coming from installations outside South Korea, the officials said.”