Top News: Moon urges continued efforts for ‘complete missile sovereignty’ Korea Herald Trump team’s case for new nuke cites risks in current arsenal Rollcall Missile defense becomes part of great power competition U.S. Department of Defense United States Trump team’s case for new nuke cites risks in current arsenal Rollcall7/29/20 The administration justified new atomic weapons by citing rarely acknowledged vulnerabilities in U.S. nuclear arsenal. Missile defense becomes part of great power competition U.S. Department of Defense7/28/20 All aspects of the military are engaged in great power competition, but while most analysts focus on developments in offensive missiles, Chinese and Russian defense leaders are developing even more capable missile defenses, Defense Department officials said. Nuclear official says warhead modernization program on track despite COVID, GAO concerns Defense News7/29/20 Replacements for components that caused cost increases and program delays for two multibillion-dollar nuclear warhead programs have passed tests, putting the programs on track for new production dates, according to a top official from the National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA). ‘Many’ COVID-19 transmissions at NNSA were outside of work, administrator says Exchange Monitor7/29/20 “Many” of the nearly 250 National Nuclear Security Administration employees confirmed to have caught COVID-19 are believed to have been infected while teleworking, the head of the Department of Energy nuclear-weapon agency said Tuesday. East Asia UNC chief reaffirms ‘unwavering’ commitment to peace on peninsula amid ‘uncertainty’ Yonhap7/27/20 United Nations Command (UNC) Commander Gen. Robert Abrams said Monday the command remains “unwavering” in its commitment to peace on the Korean Peninsula as he marked the 67th anniversary of the signing of the 1950-53 Korean War armistice agreement. North Korea’s Yongbyon nuclear complex: activity around the UEP suggests ongoing operations 38 North7/28/20 Commercial satellite imagery over the past year indicates that the light activity observed throughout North Korea’s Yongbyon Nuclear Scientific Research Center goes beyond a caretaker status. Moon urges continued efforts for ‘complete missile sovereignty’ Korea Herald7/29/20 President Moon Jae-in called Wednesday for a continued push to secure the “complete missile sovereignty” of South Korea, saying the lifting of restrictions on the country’s use of solid fuels for its space rocket offers a good chance for development of the space industry. Middle East ANALYSIS: When it comes to Iran, not everything that goes boom in the night is sabotage Atlantic CouncilRaz Zimmt 7/30/20 The recent series of unusual events in different locations around Iran, including fires and explosions in a nuclear enrichment facility in Natanz, a missile production site, petrochemical centers, oil pipelines, power plants, and a medical clinic, has received growing interest from the international media. South Asia OPINION: The quest for sea-based nuclear deterrence Pakistan TodaySyed Daniyal Ali 7/29/20 The advancement of nuclear weapons has increased the importance of the sea-based nuclear deterrence.