On Sunday, North Korea’s Kim Jong Un oversaw the test fire of the newly named Hwasong-11 Ra surface-to-surface tactical ballistic missile, a missile that can be fitted with either a cluster bomb capable of releasing dozens or even hundreds of submunitions at once or a fragmentation mine warhead designed to blast shrapnel in all directions. Five missiles were fired, in violation of UN Security Council resolutions. traveling 136 km and striking a target area near an islet off Korea’s East Coast.
There at Kim’s side for the latest provocative launch was his teenaged daughter — yet another remarkable daddy-daughter date. As I worry about where these weapons will be heading next, I also wonder about the role this young woman may one day play in overseeing this growing arsenal.
Sharing a recent interview I did with The Guardian’s Today in Focus podcast to talk about what it might mean that we’re seeing this young woman at her father’s side at high-profile military events. (Photo: KCNA)