COVID-wracked N.Korea may greet Biden with a missile test

18/5/2022 12:31

        Despite battling a wave of suspected COVID-19 infections, North Korea appears to be preparing to test an intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) ahead of U.S. President Joe Biden's first official trip to South Korea.
        
        A U.S. official said that the latest intelligence showed North Korea could carry out an ICBM test as soon as Thursday or Friday.
        
        Biden is expected to arrive in South Korea on Friday and hold talks with his South Korean counterparts over several days before visiting Japan. The White House said last week Biden was considering a trip to the Demilitarized Zone on the border with North Korea.
        
        A weapons test could overshadow Biden's broader focus on China, trade, and other regional issues, and underscore the lack of progress in denuclearisation talks despite his administration's vow to break the stalemate with practical approaches.
        
        It could also complicate international efforts to offer Pyongyang aid as it battles its first confirmed COVID outbreak.