Pyongyang corrects Seoul says rocket system not missiles tested yesterday

The regime's media announce the success of the trial. For the US, the latest launch is not a violation of the North Korean promise to interrupt long-range missile experiments. Washington remains optimistic about the prospects for talks on denuclearization.

Seoul (AsiaNews / Agencies) - North Korea claims it has tested a new rockets system, rejecting the reports from Seoul's Ministry for Defense that yesterday the regime launched short-range ballistic missiles.

The US National Security Advisor John R. Bolton says the experiments do not represent a violation of the promise to stop long-range missile tests made by leader Kim Jong-un to  President Donald Trump. However, the senior official raises doubts about the North Korean commitment to resume negotiations on denuclearization.

The Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) - Pyongyang's media organ - reports that the leader Kim Jong-un "guided a test-fire of a newly developed large-caliber multiple launch guided rocket system on July 31". "The test-fire scientifically confirmed that the tactical data and technical characteristics of the new-type large-caliber guided ordnance rocket reached the numerical values of its design, and verified the combat effectiveness of the overall system," the KCNA said.

Yesterday's launch - the second in six days - took place despite Washington's attempts to restart talks on dismantling Northern missile programs. US diplomacy efforts are in line with the agreement reached by Trump and Kim on June 30th, during an unexpected meeting on the border between the two Koreas.

Despite recent tests, the United States remains optimistic about the prospects for talks with Pyongyang. Trump downplayed the missiles launched last week, calling them "smaller" than many countries used to develop. US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said three days ago he hoped the discussions would resume "very soon".