CIA Director: 'North Korea’s Missile Program Is Aimed At Coercion, Not Just Self-Defense

Reuters: CIA believes North Korea weapons aimed at coercion, not just defense: Pompeo

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The CIA believes North Korea’s missile program is aimed at coercion, not just self-defense, and that Pyongyang’s next logical step would be to develop an arsenal of weapons and the capability to fire multiple missiles at the United States, the agency’s director Mike Pompeo said on Tuesday.

Speaking at the American Enterprise Institute, Pompeo also said a key risk of allowing North Korea to develop its nuclear and missile program was proliferation to other countries.

Pompeo said U.S. President Donald Trump’s focus was on a diplomatic solution to the crisis, but the Central Intelligence Agency was working to provide him with a range of other options should that fail.

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WNU Editor: North Korea's has never been shy to declare that their long term goal has always been to unify the Korean Peninsula under their rule. Even today they declared that all Koreans should unify .... North Korea sends rare announcement to all Koreans, calls for unification (Reuters). That is why I do not believe that North Korea's development and expansion of its nuclear arsenal is limited to defensive purposes .... it's purpose is to coerce other nations to help it achieve its ultimate goal of Korean unification. On this point .... and I am surprised that he voiced it .... CIA Director Pompeo is correct .... these weapons will be used to "threaten" South Korea, Japan, and definitely the U.S. to achieve this goal of unification .... Kim Jong Un’s ultimate aim is to control a reunified Korea: CIA Director (NK News).

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