VOI - Voice of Indonesia | RRI - Radio Republik Indonesia

North Korea unveiled new, smaller nuclear warheads and vowed to produce more weapons-grade nuclear material to expand the country's arsenal, state media KCNA said on Tuesday, as a U.S. aircraft carrier arrived in South Korea for military drills.

KCNA released photos of the warheads, dubbed Hwasan-31s, as leader Kim Jong Un visited the Nuclear Weapons Institute, where he inspected new tactical nuclear weapons and technology for mounting warheads on ballistic missiles, as well as nuclear counterattack operation plans.

Experts say the images could indicate progress in miniaturising warheads that are powerful yet small enough to mount on intercontinental ballistic missiles capable of striking the U.S.

"It has something more powerful in a smaller space. That's worrisome," said Kune Y. Suh, professor emeritus of nuclear engineering at Seoul National University, comparing the new warheads to the 2016 version.

Kim Dong-yup, a former South Korean naval officer who teaches at Kyungnam University, said the warheads were most likely designed for use with at least eight different delivery platforms listed in posters on the wall, including missiles and submarines.

"Those are not limited to tactical missiles but appear to be a miniaturised, lightweight and standardised warhead that can mount on various vehicles," he said.

"Now that the delivery vehicles are nearly ready, they would churn out warheads to secure second strike capabilities - perhaps hundreds, not dozens - while running centrifuges even harder to get weapons-grade nuclear material," he added

Kim Jong Un ordered the production of weapons-grade materials in a "far-sighted way" to boost its nuclear arsenal "exponentially" and produce powerful weapons, KCNA said.

He said the enemy of the country's nuclear forces is not a specific state or group but "war and nuclear disaster themselves," and the policy of expanding the arsenal is solely aimed at defending the country, and regional peace and stability.

Kim was also briefed on an IT-based integrated nuclear weapon management system called Haekbangashoe, which means "nuclear trigger", whose accuracy, reliability and security were verified during recent drills simulating a nuclear counterattack, KCNA said.

North Korea has been ramping up tensions, firing short-range ballistic missiles on Monday and conducting a nuclear counterattack simulation last week against the U.S. and South Korea, which it accused of rehearsing an invasion with their military exercises.

North Korea's military simulated a nuclear airburst with two tactical ballistic missiles equipped with mock warheads during Monday's training, while testing a nuclear-capable underwater attack drone again on March 25-27, KCNA said in separate dispatches.

The underwater drone, called Haeil-1, reached a target in the waters off the northeast coast after cruising along a "jagged and oval" 600km (373-mile) course for more than 41 hours, it said.

South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol said North Korea does not deserve "a single penny" of economic aid while pushing for nuclear development, his spokesman said.

A South Korean military spokesman said that additional tests and analysis would be needed to verify whether the North's new warheads are deployable, but that its report on the underwater drone was most likely "exaggerated and fabricated."

U.S. AIR CARRIER

Also on Tuesday, a U.S. carrier strike group led by the USS Nimitz docked at the Busan naval base in South Korea after conducting joint maritime drills. It was the carrier's first visit in nearly six years and coincides with the 70th anniversary of the two countries' alliance.

Rear Admiral Kim Ji-hoon of the South Korean navy said joint exercises were intended to improve U.S. extended deterrence - the military capability, especially nuclear forces, to deter attacks on its allies - given the North's evolving threats.

The strike group commander, Rear Admiral Christopher Sweeney, said his ships were prepared for any contingency.

"We don't seek conflicts with the DPRK. We seek peace and security. We're not going to be coerced, we're not going to be bullied and we're not going anywhere," he told reporters.

DPRK is an abbreviation for North Korea's official name, the Democratic People's Republic of Korea.

Pyongyang has accused the allies of stoking tensions and using exercises to rehearse an invasion.

A commentary in the Rodong Sinmun, the North's ruling party media outlet, said the drills, especially those involving the aircraft carrier, amount to "an open declaration of war" and preparations for a "preemptive attack" against North Korea.

"The frantic war drills in the puppet region are not just military drills but nuclear war drills for a preemptive strike ... pursuant to the U.S. political and military option to escalate confrontation with the DPRK and finally lead to a war," it said. (Reuters)

Jakarta (voinews): ASEAN countries will look at the spillover from the current global banking problems, Deputy Governor of Bank Indonesia (BI) Dody Budy Waluyo stated during a media briefing in Badung, Bali, Monday.

"No matter what, in relation to this banking issue, we will look at the spillover to the region," he remarked.

The fall of global banking began with the collapse of one of the United States (US) Central Banks, Silicon Valley Bank, which affected another US Bank, Signature Bank.

More recently, banks in Europe, such as Credit Suisse (Switzerland) and Deutsche Bank (German), also followed suit.

Thus, the banking issue will be one of the backgrounds for discussion on the global economy at the first ASEAN Finance Ministers and Central Bank Governors meeting during the Indonesian chairmanship.

Other participants at the meeting will comprise several international organizations, such as the International Monetary Fund (IMF), that will raise various global development issues.

ASEAN has a similar interest in maintaining the security of the financial system, so it will continue to think of various methods, whether through capital strengthening or reduction of loans to certain banks, Waluyo stated.

The difficulty lies in seeing how the indirect impact is felt in startups or e-commerce platforms that have taken indirect loans from troubled banks, he remarked.

When there is trouble brewing in developed countries, concerns ride high over whether it will affect developing countries, including the ASEAN nations, in the form of a spillover. This also applies to the current banking issue.

The spillover that will affect the macro economy of a certain region or country comes through capital traffic, liquidity, to the exchange rate.

Meanwhile, the defense and security aspects of the financial sector may be affected by the spillover. (Antaranews)

Jakarta (voinews): US Ambassador to Indonesia Sung Y. Kim met with Commander of the Indonesian National Defense Forces (TNI) Admiral Yudo Margono on Monday (March 27).

Ambassador Kim expressed the US' commitment to continued strengthening and expansion of the already strong US-Indonesian bilateral security and defense ties, according to a written statement issued by the US Embassy in Jakarta on Tuesday.

During the meeting, Ambassador Kim and Admiral Margono engaged in a wide-ranging discussion on the US-Indonesia defense cooperation, including on preparations for Super Garuda Shield 2023, for which planning is on track for a summer 2023 execution.

The two met earlier at the arrival ceremony for the C130J aircraft held at the Halim Air Force Base on March 8, 2023.

Indonesian Foreign Affairs Minister Retno Marsudi had earlier met US Secretary of State Antony Blinken in early March on the sidelines of the G20 Foreign Ministers' Meeting in New Delhi, India, to discuss regional and global security challenges.

"We (Indonesia and the US) are strategic partners, so we are excited to work with you, both on urgent bilateral issues and global issues," Minister Marsudi remarked.

At the meeting, Foreign Minister Marsudi and Secretary Blinken also highlighted cooperation between the United States and the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) during Indonesia's chairmanship in ASEAN and on Indonesia's leadership in the region.

According to Blinken, this year is a good opportunity to compare notes on the G20, ASEAN, and the strategic partnership between Indonesia and the United States in various aspects of mutual interest and concern.

Marsudi and Blinken also discussed various security challenges, including the ongoing crisis in Myanmar. (Antaranews)

Jakarta (voinews): The Ministry of Industry spotlighted four main targets that Indonesia is keen to achieve as the official partner country at the world's largest industrial technology exhibition Hannover Messe 2023.

The four main targets for participating in this year's event are: presenting the roadmap for Making Indonesia 4.0, fostering industrial cooperation, promoting foreign investment and exports, and improving bilateral relations with Germany as the host.

"The Ministry of Industry hopes that the Hannover Messe 2023 will become an important momentum to show Indonesia's ability to work together, collaborate, and advance as a global community," Director General of Resilience, Regional, and International Industrial Access (Dirjen KPAII) of the ministry Eko S. A. Cahyanto noted in a statement in Jakarta, Tuesday.

Making Indonesia 4.0 is introduced as a road map for accelerating the implementation of Industry 4.0 technology in the country. This roadmap covers inclusive sustainability, start-up business, and technology development, as well as supporting a circular economy.

Apart from that, issues related to supporting the Making Indonesia 4.0 program will also be presented, he said.

Cahyanto elaborated that the Making Indonesia 4.0 roadmap is oriented toward five main elements: artificial intelligence, the Internet of things, enterprise wearables, advanced robotics, and 3D printing.

"This main element is intended to support the expansion of the digital economy and incentives for the industry," he stated.

Furthermore, Cahyanto said, Indonesia would make the most of its role as the Official Partner Country of Hannover Messe 2023 to highlight to the international community, especially businesses, and industry regarding the policy of facilitating investment in Indonesia.

The policies provided by the government include ease of investment, starting from the stage of establishing a business entity, the stage of starting a business or the legality of construction based on the Indonesian Business Field Standard Classification (KBLI) that comprises basic requirements and sectoral requirements as well as the stage of business implementation or operational legality based on non-KBLI.

Indonesia is the first ASEAN country to become an official partner country at the Hannover Messe thrice. With the spirit of "Infinite Journey" at the Hannover Messe 2023 that will be held on April 17-21, 2023, Indonesia will present the latest technological advancements and potential industrial technology investments by organizing related events that are summarized in the Official Programs.

Discussions with co-exhibitors from Indonesia will be facilitated through various agendas, including organizing business summits as well as seminars that will take place at the Indonesian Pavilion.

"The issues that will be discussed by the co-exhibitors from Indonesia represent the six themes of the IPC Hannover Messe 2023 and will focus on the conversion of traditional manufacturing to sustainability and innovation, human resource development, start-up business development, investment, and industrial areas, as well as energy transition. A total of 157 co-exhibitors will participate in the Indonesian Pavilion representing the six themes," he explained.

Indonesia adopted the tagline "Infinite Journey" at its participation in the Hannover Messe 2023 to describe Indonesia's journey towards a limitless future with a spirit of optimism and broad future potential, without being limited by anything.

With this tagline, Indonesia targets that participation in the 2023 Hannover Messe can increase inclusive sustainability, develop technology, and support a circular economy. (Antaranews)