US President Donald Trump has said he may meet North Korean leader Kim Jong Un during a planned visit to Asia in mid-November, as Pyongyang showcased its military capabilities at a newly opened defence museum and confirmed another ballistic missile test.
Trump is expected to attend the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) summit in Shenzhen, China, in mid-November. His remarks about a possible meeting with Kim came a day before North Korean state media reported that the leader had visited a museum displaying weapons developed under his leadership, including an intercontinental ballistic missile capable of reaching the United States.
Kim attended the opening of the Defence Revolution Museum on Sunday, accompanied by his daughter, known as Ju Ae, and his wife, Ri Sol Ju, the Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) reported on Tuesday. Photographs released by the state news agency showed a collection of military equipment ranging from drones to the Hwasong-20 intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM).
One display positioned in front of the Hwasong-20 launcher appeared to depict a multiple-warhead design. A world map accompanying the display showed ranges extending beyond the US mainland to the Middle East, Australia and South America, according to Shin Jong-woo, secretary-general of the Korea Defence and Security Forum.
Shin said the exhibition appeared designed to demonstrate the results of North Korea’s defence science programme while strengthening its position ahead of any potential negotiations with Washington.
“The exhibition appears intended to highlight the achievements of Kim’s defence science development programme,” he said. “It gave the impression of propaganda aimed at gaining a strategic advantage ahead of potential a North Korea-US summit.”
Analysts said the museum also reflected an effort by Kim to turn the country’s weapons development into a permanent record of his leadership rather than relying on temporary military exhibitions. The display presented North Korea’s expanding weapons capabilities as enduring achievements of the regime.
“By turning what were once temporary weapons exhibitions into a permanent museum, Kim is institutionalising his military achievements and portraying North Korea’s nuclear and missile buildup as a completed and enduring legacy,” said Lim Eul-chul, a professor at Kyungnam University’s Institute for Far Eastern Studies.
The museum visit coincided with a new missile test reported by North Korean state media. KCNA said on Tuesday that the country had test-fired a tactical ballistic missile on Monday to verify the successful technical upgrade of an unspecified key component.
The agency described the upgrade as an important step towards improving the performance of all offensive weapons systems but did not identify the component involved or provide further technical details.
South Korea’s military said on Monday that North Korea had fired multiple ballistic missiles towards waters off its east coast. The launches marked Pyongyang’s fourth such test in a month, following South Korea’s recent test of a hypersonic missile.
The latest test and the museum display came as Trump’s anticipated trip to China created the possibility of renewed direct contact between the US president and Kim. Trump has indicated that a meeting could take place during his Asian visit, although no meeting arrangements were confirmed in the supplied report.
