BAN THE BOMB
What nuclear weapons does North Korea have and has Kim Jong-un agreed to ‘complete denuclearisation’?
NORTH Korean leader Kim Jong-un agreed to a 'complete denuclearisation' of the Korean Peninsula after a summit with Donald Trump in June, 2018.
Let's take a look at the rogue state's controversial nuclear weapons programme.
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What is the latest on the nuclear situation in North Korea?
On April 21, 2018, Kim Jong-un said the reclusive nation was suspending long-range nuclear missile tests and shutting its test site.
At the Singapore summit on June 11, 2018, Trump and Kim agreed to start the denuclearisation "very quickly".
The US President said the meeting had gone "better than anyone could have expected".
"We are going to sign this historic agreement," said Kim. "The world will see a major change."
In the agreement, Kim committed to "complete denuclearisation of Korean Peninsula".
Despite the denuclearisation pledge, the rogue state has not stopped its nuclear activities, the UN's nuclear watchdog said in August 2018.
On August 29, it was reported that talks between the US and North Korea had stalled.
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What nuclear weapons does North Korea have?
In July 2017, North Korea successfully launched the country's first inter-continental ballistic missile (ICBM), which had the capability of reaching US territory.
The Pentagon, the US military headquarters, believes the hermit kingdom has around 200 missile launchers across the country, which can be used to fire short and medium-range rockets.
The most likely target of such a missile launch would be South Korea, Japan, Australia and possibly US territories in the Pacific Ocean.
Revised estimates suggest the total number of missiles the rogue state has is believed to be between 13 and 21.
And the regime is estimated to have at least four nuclear warheads.
On November 28, 2017, North Korea launched ICBM Hwasong-15 – which is a new nuclear missile capable of hitting anywhere on the planet.
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READ MORE: Could World War 3 happen? How North Korea and Kim Jong-un could cause a nuclear apocalypse
How have tensions between North Korea and the US escalated?
Here's how the relationship between the US President and North Korean leader has changed since the beginning of 2017:
2018
- September 20: Following a summit in Pyongyang, South Korea’s President Moon Jae-in said the North has agreed to an inspection of its main missile test site in Punggye-ri which it closed in May.
- September 20: Despite talks with the US stalling, Jae-in said Kim wants denuclearisation to happen “quickly” and insists the despot would like another summit with Trump.
- August 29: Negotiations between the US and North Korea stall
- August 21: North Korea has not stopped its nuclear activities, the UN's nuclear watchdog said
- June 11: US President Trump and Kim agree "complete denuclearisation of Korean Peninsula" in landmark summit Singapore
- April 27: Kim Jong-un crosses the border into South Korea and both state leaders agree to "complete denuclearisation"
- April 20: North Korea says it has suspended long-range missile tests and plans to shut its nuclear test site.
- April 8: Kim Jong-un tells US that North Korea is prepared to scrap its nukes for good, officials claim.
- January 11: US sends THREE nuke-ready B-2 stealth bombers to the US territory of Guam in the Pacific Ocean - as Donald Trump sends message to Kim Jong-un.
2017
- December: The UN applied more sanctions against North Korea in response to its recent ballistic missile test.
- November 29: Kim Jong-un declared his country a fully fledged nuclear power after launching a new missile he claimed was capable of hitting anywhere on the planet.
- September 15: North Korea fired a ballistic missile over Japan and into the Pacific, responding to new UN sanctions with its furthest-ever missile flight.
- September 10/11: Two Hwasong-14 intercontinental ballistic missiles were test-fired with a range of more than 6,210 miles.
- September 3: The West awakes to the news North Korea has detonated a nuclear device in a test. The blast triggered an artificial earthquake six times larger than any previous test.
- August 15: North Korea appeared to back down from an imminent strike by saying Kim Jong-un would watch "the foolish and stupid conduct of the Yankees" before deciding whether to fire on Guam.
- August 12: New satellite images of North Korea bases appear to show the volatile state is overhauling its missile sub fleet.
- August 8: Trump warned North Korea faces “fire and fury” if it threatens the US – as intelligence documents reveal Kim Jong-un has made mini nukes to attach to his new rockets.
- July 5: North Korea test-fired a ballistic missile which analysts say has a range of 6,700 kilometres and brings Alaska within reach. Pyongyang later said it was a “landmark” test of a Hwasong-14 intercontinental ballistic missile.
- April 15: North Korea again enraged the US with a missile test but this time it was an embarrassing flop exploding almost immediately.
- April 9: A US strike force was sent towards the western Pacific Ocean near the Korean peninsula.
MORE NEWS FROM NORTH KOREA
What's the latest?
Trump has insisted he "had to walk" from his summit with Kim Jong-un after the pair failed to agree a nuke deal and their lunch was dramatically cancelled.
The leaders scrapped a planned signing ceremony as their second day of crunch talks in Hanoi, Vietnam, ended without an agreement on how to denuclearise the Korean peninsula.
At a press conference, the US President said the despot refused to dismantle North Korea's Yongbyon nuclear complex and wanted the sanctions imposed on his crackpot regime lifted.
The brash New Yorker said that the North Korea leader wants to "denuke a portion" of his country - which was another point of contention for the US administration.
He added that Kim promised that he would not resume testing of ballistic missiles despite the talks breaking down.
Donald Trump storms out of summit early and CANCELS planned lunch after Kim Jong-un demands sanctions are lifted without giving up nukes
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