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North Korea's Kim Vows to Boost Military Capabilities at Rare Party Congress

IN THIS ISSUE: North Korea's Kim Vows to Boost Military Capabilities at Rare Party Congress, EU Says it Will Redouble Efforts to Save Iran Nuclear Deal, U.S. Strategic Command Chief Defends ICBM Replacement Program, China’s Advanced DF-17 Hypersonic Missile Likely to Have Been Part of Recent Military Drill, Top U.S. Admiral Would 'Welcome' Biden Review of Nuclear Strategy

Published on January 7, 2021

North Korea's Kim Vows to Boost Military Capabilities at Rare Party Congress

Reuters

North Korean leader Kim Jong Un said he would expand military capabilities to better defend the country, state media reported on Thursday, during a rare party congress as the country faces international sanctions and pressure. The Eighth Party Congress, which began on Tuesday, comes as North Korea faces increasing economic crises caused by a self-imposed border lockdown to prevent a coronavirus outbreak, a series of natural disasters, and international sanctions over its nuclear weapons programme. The gathering also comes just days before U.S. President-elect Joe Biden is due to take office, after unprecedented personal meetings between Kim and outgoing President Donald Trump failed to lead to a breakthrough in denuclearisation talks or a loosening of sanctions.

EU Says it Will Redouble Efforts to Save Iran Nuclear Deal

AP

The European Union said Tuesday it would redouble its efforts to save the Iran nuclear agreement despite what it calls Tehran’s “important breach” of commitments made in the 2015 deal by starting to enrich uranium to new levels. EU spokesman Peter Stano said that Iran’s actions “will have serious implications when it comes to nuclear nonproliferation.” Stano said it was in everyone’s interest to rescue the deal and said the 27-nation bloc “will strengthen” its attempts to make sure all adhere to the commitments made in the landmark deal. Iran began enriching uranium Monday to levels unseen since its 2015 nuclear deal with world powers. The decision appeared aimed at increasing Tehran’s leverage in the waning days in office for U.S. President Donald Trump, whose unilateral withdrawal from the atomic accord in 2018 began a series of escalating incidents.

U.S. Strategic Command Chief Defends ICBM Replacement Program

Valerie Insinna | Defense News

The U.S. Defense Department must be allowed to press forward with replacing its Cold War-era Minuteman III intercontinental ballistic missiles, the head of U.S. Strategic Command said Tuesday. “You cannot life-extend Minuteman III,” said Adm. Charles Richard, who spoke with reporters during a Defense Writers Group event. “It is getting past the point of [where] it’s not cost-effective to life-extend Minuteman III. You’re quickly getting to the point [where] you can’t do it at all.” Richard’s comments come about two weeks before the Jan. 20 inauguration of President-elect Joe Biden, who is expected to review the nation’s nuclear arsenal and could possibly roll back changes made under the Trump administration.

China’s Advanced DF-17 Hypersonic Missile Likely to Have Been Part of Recent Military Drill

Caatherine Wong | South China Morning Post

China’s military has carried out training that may have involved its most advanced hypersonic missile, the DF-17, which analysts say is capable of striking US bases in the region. Footage aired on Chinese state television last week shows a new and unidentified type of missile vehicle being used to transport a weapon in a recent assault exercise conducted by a People’s Liberation Army Rocket Force missile brigade. Military analysts said the missile being transported in the footage was likely to be the DF-17. The hypersonic missile drew attention when it made its debut in October 2019 at a huge military parade marking the 70th anniversary of Communist Party rule in China.

Top U.S. Admiral Would 'Welcome' Biden Review of Nuclear Strategy

Rebecca Kheel | The Hill

The admiral in charge of the U.S. nuclear arsenal said Tuesday he would “welcome” a review by the incoming Biden administration of the country’s nuclear weapons strategy, but lashed out at critics of the military’s plans for new intercontinental ballistic missiles (ICBMs). “I welcome an examination of the nation’s strategy here,” U.S. Strategic Command chief Adm. Charles Richard told reporters. “I recommend that based on the threat. The threat is moving so fast that even given the time since the last Nuclear Posture Review warrants another look at it to make sure that we still endorse our strategy, and we have sufficient capability to execute that strategy.”

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