North Korea's nuclear activities seem to be something completely unexpected for many international experts on Asian politics. The common view over the years has been that the DPRK is a poor country with a low level of economic development, which invests everything it has into missiles and nuclear weapons.
According to Russian military expert Vladimir Kashin, estimates of the DPRK's potential are often made based on the standard of living of its population.
"Despite significant economic growth since the mid-2000s, the standard of living of North Koreans remains extremely low. However, this does not give any ground for conclusions about its industry, science and education. The examples of the USSR and East European countries indicate that they were able to invest disproportionately large share of resources into these spheres and achieve impressive results," Kashin wrote for Sputnik Chinese.
The expert noted that North Korea is, among other things, capable of producing cars and trucks, agricultural machinery, small electronics, aircrafts and missiles.
"Having its own good training for engineers and skilled workers, North Korea is able to solve serious issues in the implementation of its nuclear missile program. At the moment they have quite effective mobile liquid missiles of small and medium range and two-stage solid-fuel missiles, which are comparable with the ones produced by the USSR in the 1960s," Kashin noted.
According to the expert, false information about North Korea's military capabilities often disorients the public.
"Such views, in part, are a result of the years of propaganda conducted against North Korea by its political opponents. They are also related to a lack of understanding of the specifics of the development of Soviet-style socialist economies and their industrial systems," he concluded.
The global community has so far failed to curb financing for North Korea's nuclear and missile program. The UNSC has repeatedly adopted resolutions condemning North Korea's nuclear and missile tests and imposing various sanctions on Pyongyang. Despite that, Pyongyang has continued developing its nuclear and weapons program.
This story first appeared on Sputnik & is reposted here with permission.