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US Admiral Calls North Korea's Actions A 'Recipe For Disaster'

US Admiral Calls North Korea's Actions A 'Recipe For Disaster'

His comments come after North Korea launched a successful test missile on Sunday.

Claire Reid

Claire Reid

A top US military chief has branded Kim Jong-un's actions a 'recipe for disaster' in a speech to a think tank.

Admiral Harry Harris Jnr, the leader of the US Pacific Command, was speaking after North Korea launched another test-missile on Sunday, with many experts saying the latest one could be the most advanced yet.

He made the comments at a lecture for a Tokyo think tank, adding Kim is "closer to being able to deliver a nuclear-equipped missile anywhere in the world."

Credit: PA

He said: "Combining nuclear warheads with ballistic technology in the hands of a volatile leader like Kim Jong Un is a recipe for a disaster.

"Kim Jong-un is not afraid to fail in public and every test he makes is a success because it takes North Korea one step closer to being able to deliver a nuclear-equipped missile anywhere in the world."

Credit: PA

The North Korean dictator has made a series of nuclear tests in recent months; however, several of them resulted in embarrassing botched attempts.

Admiral Harris was quick to warn the think tank that the US, Japan and South Korea shouldn't get complacent adding that the countries should work together to deal with the threat of nuclear war.

North Korea's latest launch was to test the re-entry capabilities as well as look at what is being called 'the splash zone' in the Pacific.

North Korea boasted it successfully launched a new type of "medium long-range" ballistic rocket that can carry a heavy nuclear warhead, an escalation of its nuclear program. Credit: PA

An aerospace expert, John Schilling, said Sunday's test showed a 'level of performance never before seen from a North Korean missile', Reuters reports.

He said: "It appears to have not only demonstrated an intermediate-range ballistic missile (IRBM) that might enable them to reliably strike the US base at Guam, but more importantly, may represent a substantial advance to developing an intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM)."

Kim Jong Un at what was said to be a missile test site at an undisclosed location in North Korea. Credit: PA

Harris also took the chance to throw some criticism towards China for putting up obstacles regarding the freedom to navigate in the South China Sea, where Beijing has created island bases.

Sources: Associated Press; Daily Mail; Reuters

Featured Image Credit: PA

Topics: kim jong-un