North Korea is 'almost certain' to have ballistic missiles that could reach UK by 2019, warn MPs

Kim Jong-un 'unlikely' to target UK as he does not see it as a threat, defence select committee says

North Korea is "almost certain" to develop nuclear weapons capable of reaching UK shores within the next 18 months, an influential committee of MPs has said.

A report by the Commons defence select committee said it was likely that Pyongyang could already reach the UK with intercontinental ballistic missiles, which could potentially carry nuclear warheads by 2019 if North Korea's weapons tests continue apace.

However it said Kim Jong-un showed no sign of wanting to target the UK with nuclear weapons - as he knows a nuclear exchange would lead to "North Korea's annihilation" - and suggested the ruler could be reasoned with as he was "ruthless... but rational".

The report, authored by cross-party MPs who started taking evidence last year, said: "We believe it is obvious to North Korea that launching such weapons would lead inescapably to devastating military consequences from the US, South Korea and other countries too.

"It would result in the downfall - indeed the annihilation of the regime: the polar opposite of what Kim Jong-un is seeking to achieve.

"He is ruthless, like other Communist dictators before him, but he is rational."

The committee said a nuclear strike against the UK seems "highly unlikely", adding: "We do not believe that North Korea regards the UK as a primary target—its goal being to threaten the United States mainland (although also bringing the UK within range of its missiles) in the event of hostilities on the Peninsula."

North Korea has carried out six nuclear tests in recent years, amid escalating tensions with both South Korea and the United States over its efforts to become a nuclear state.

However Kim Jong-un appears to have put aside some hostility by agreeing to meet US President Donald Trump next month, and he is now said to be "committed to denuclearisation".

MPs said a major cyber attack was a greater threat to the UK than nuclear war, pointing to the WannaCrk hit on NHS computes last year, which was blamed on North Korea.

The report said: "It is likely that North Korea has already successfully attacked the UK with the Wannacry ransonware, although we agree with the Government that the UK was probably not intended to be the principal target.

"Nevertheless, the Wannacry attack highlighted basic vulnerabilities in UK information technology systems.

"With North Korea unconcerned by who gets hurt when it lashes out, the UK will continue to be at risk from North Korean cyber-attacks."

The worldwide ransomware attack hit NHS hospitals, businesses and banks across the world last May.

Committee chair Dr Julian Lewis said: “The nuclear and cyber threats posed by North Korea are typical of the new and intensifying dangers confronting the UK.

"Yet, new threats require extra investment—not the usual process of simply balancing the books by sacrificing conventional capabilities which are still needed to deal with ongoing older threats.

"There is cross-party consensus that we need to invest much more than the NATO minimum of 2 per cent of GDP.

"A target nearer 3 per cent is essential to fill existing holes in the defence budget and counter re-emerging state-based threats from Russia and North Korea.”