Kim Jong-un’s New Vocabulary Puts ‘Tactical’ Nuclear Weapons in Clear Focus

He’s talking about the kind of nuclear weapons that would be used in war on South Korea.

AP/Ahn Young-joon
A TV screen shows an image of the North Korean leader, Kim Jong-un, and his wife, Ri Sol-ju, during a news program seen at the Seoul Railway Station October 10, 2022. AP/Ahn Young-joon

Make no mistake: When North Korea’s leader, Kim Jong-un, orders the launch of another missile, he’s talking about testing for “tactical nuclear” strikes capable of wiping out a battlefield or a base, not “strategic” nukes for annihilating major cities or regions. Nor does he have in mind “cruise missiles” or other tools of conventional warfare.

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