North Korea is bracing for a prolonged confrontation with the United States, analysts say, after sweeping Democratic gains in the US midterm elections diminished the likelihood of renewed diplomacy between Kim Jong-un and President Donald Trump.
As Americans cast their ballots on Tuesday, Pyongyang test-fired a new surface-to-air missile system and carried out a strike drill with long-range strategic cruise missiles early on Wednesday, Korean time – its fourth weapons test in a week.
The launches came hours after Kim Yo-jong, the sister of North Korean leader Kim Jong-un, blasted Washington on Tuesday for linking Pyongyang to a US$6.3 billion cryptocurrency theft from Binance, calling the FBI’s findings a “grave political provocation”.