North Korea's tough statements could signal that the country is about to launch a long-range missile test, a move that will hardly shake Trump.

The two-year diplomatic effort between the United States and North Korea has continuously witnessed bad signs over the weekend. The first is a statement from the North Korean ambassador to the United Nations, Kim said that Pyongyang no longer has nuclear talks with Washington, insisting that North Korea does not need lengthy discussions.

The situation worsened when the National Academy of Sciences of North Korea announced it had conducted a "very important test" at the Sohae launch site (also known as Tongchang-ri), where Kim agreed to close during the summit. First peak with Trump in Singapore in June 2018. He also reiterated this pledge at a summit with South Korean President Moon Jae-in in September 2018.

Harry J. Kazianis, director of Korean Studies at the National Center for the Benefits, said that these North Korean statements reflected the thinking of Pyongyang that they could exert pressure against the Trump administration in the context of The US president is facing a "impeachment storm" in the House of Representatives. However, the expert warned that Pyongyang's calculations could be a serious mistake, especially for someone like Trump.

"Finding ways to bully Washington to make concessions, thinking that Trump was weakened and needed a deal, was a silly way of thinking," Kazianis wrote. "In fact, this game of Pyongyang has a very high risk of exploding in front of them."

After North Korean threats, Trump, who often sought to downplay the severity of the moves from Pyongyang, yesterday "changed his voice" when posting a strong statement on Twitter.

"North Korea under Kim Jong-un's leadership has tremendous economic potential, but they have to denuclearize as promised. Kim Jong-un is too smart and has so much to lose, in fact, all. even if he acts in a hostile way, "Trump wrote.

Pyongyang did not specify what the test was done at Sohae launch site. Analysts say the country is likely testing a new engine for long-range ballistic missiles. Because North Korea did not provide the description or published images as before, it is unclear whether the test will be successful.

Experts said that if Pyongyang had actually tested the engine as they had expected, this could be a warning that Kim Jong-un is considering conducting a return to long-range missile tests. The move, along with a series of short-range missile launches and tough statements from North Korean officials, is believed to be a sign that Kim is losing patience with US policy.

"North Korea has so far avoided long-range missile tests. However, it is upgrading the engine and accuracy of the missiles so that they can pose a reliable nuclear threat," Leif- Eric Easleu, associate professor at Ewha University in Seoul, South Korea, said.

"The Kim administration knows that US surveillance satellites are monitoring them. So, through its operation at Sohae test site, Pyongyang is seeking ways to make the international community concerned about their ability to intensify provocation. and turn away from denuclearization talks next year, "the expert explained.

Kazianis said that North Korea hardly had enough time to conduct a nuclear test in a short time. Therefore, if Kim Jong-un is completely impatient with the United States, he can order the launch of an intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM), a weapon that can carry a nuclear warhead, which Washington considers to be top threat.

The White House meanwhile expressed a fierce attitude towards the new North Korean move. "North Korea and President Kim Jong-un are having an option," a senior White House official said, speaking on condition of anonymity. "They can go back to the negotiating table and discuss with us about the path towards denuclearization, or they can increase the tension. But make no mistake, a long-range ballistic missile test. would be a mistake ".

Despite Trump's efforts to salvage relations with Kim with meetings and "nice letters," White House officials admit that the process of denuclearization has been completely stalled. The second US-North Korea summit in Hanoi, a surprise meeting between the two leaders at the inter-Korean border, and many discussions between officials of the two countries still cannot resolve differences in the way of implementation. Joint agreement at a conference in Singapore last year.

Kim Jong-un, with his promise to revive the country's weak economy, plans to convene the North Korean Central Committee of the Workers Party this month to "discuss and decide important issues", based on on the "changing situation at home and abroad," state media said.

Stephen Schwartz, an expert at the Journal of Atomic Scientists, expressed doubts about the possibility of North Korea giving up its arsenal, not even sure whether it intended to abandon them.

"Kim has a lot of cards in his hand. He can continue to test longer-range missiles, re-test nuclear weapons. This could make it difficult for Trump to deal with the domestic situation." "Schwartz said, adding that Kim has also achieved a lot in the past two years. "He is present on the international stage, preventing the US - South Korea exercises."

However, according to The Hill commentator Ramon Pacheco Pardo, as well as Trump, Kim clearly wants the two sides to reach an agreement. The abandonment of the arsenal may undermine Pyongyang's defenses, but its relationship with Washington is expected to bring recognition to the Kim regime, which it has longed for, and helped to remove. sanctions have depleted the Korean economy.

Pardo said that if normalizing relations with the United States, North Korea not only breaks down the barriers of embargo, but also opens the door to attract funding from international organizations and foreign investment funds, from which helping Kim realize the promise of economic reforms with the people since coming to power in late 2011.

To enhance the prospect of negotiations with the US, Pardo said that Kim should stop provocative moves, and promote relations with South Korea, China and Russia to multilateralize the agreement in the future. If not, the current warm relationship between Trump and Kim will collapse, causing North Korea to once again be disappointed like past conciliation processes.

Commentator Pardo said the deal also helped Trump consolidate his power and improve his chances of re-election, but if the negotiation process fails, Pyongyang is the one who loses the most. The United States will survive without a deal, while Kim Jong-un needs it to accomplish its goals.