***North Korea Deploys New 4,000 Km Range Missiles*** Top News

Chosun Ilbo Newspaper (Seoul) in English ^ | 5 May 2004 | Chosun Ilbo Newspaper, South Korea (in English)

[AmericanInTokyo]

North [Korea] Deploys New 4,000 Km-Range Missiles

North Korea has begun work on deploying intermediate range ballistic missiles (with ranges of 3,000~4,000km) it developed last year, building underground bases at two sites. This is much sooner than South Korean and American military authorities had expected.

A high ranking government source said Tuesday that, "North Korea is in the middle of building two underground missile sites in Yangdok County, South Pyongan Province and Sangnam-ni, Hochon County, North Hamgyeong Province. Construction is about 70 to 80 percent complete."

The source added, "In particular, U.S. spy satellites have discovered about 10 of the newly designed IRBMs and mobile launchers at the two sites between last year and the beginning of this year... We presume these bases to be for a new kind of ballistic missile, not Rodong 1's or Scud's."

Of the ranges of missiles currently deployed in North Korea, the Rodong 1 has the longest at 1,300 km -- capable of hitting most anywhere in Japan. The Taepodong 1, developed in 1998 and with a range of 1,600~2,200 km, has yet to be deployed.

The source said the threat posed by the new missile, which can reach Okinawa, Gwam and the vicinity of Hawaii, is part of the background behind the hastened development by the U.S. of its missile defense plans.

The new missile, unlike the Taepodong 1 that is launched from a fixed site, is loaded onto a mobile missile launch vehicle. It is, therefore, highly mobile.

The missile is presumed to be a development on the Soviet SS-N-6 sub-launched ballistic missile; it was originally expected to be revealed during last year's Sept. 9 Foundation Day parades, but the 10 missiles and five launchers were simply brought to Mirim Airbase -- the preparation site for the parades -- and not featured in the celebrations.

The missiles are 12 meters long and 1.5 wide -- shorter than both the Rodong 1 (15 meters) and Taepodong 1 (23 meters), but have a much longer range and are evaluated as a technically advanced type.

Authorities feel that former Soviet engineers either directly participated in the development of the missile, the program of which began in the early 90s and was first confirmed by South Korean and U.S. intelligence in 2000, or at the very least Russian technology applied.

(Yu Yong-won, kysu@chosun.com )

[AmericanInTokyo]

Well, more good news for the world.

What are we going to do about it?

[AmericanInTokyo]

[AmericanInTokyo]

[AmericanInTokyo]

Graphics, showing the two provinces in North Korea where these underground facilities are located.

Japan, Guam, Alaska and perhaps Hawaii are directly threatened with their existence.

[OXENinFLA]

ACK!!!!


BUMP!!!!!

[ken5050]

Ah, NOW we know what was in the railroad cars that exploded...

[aimhigh]

I don't believe for a minute that these missiles will work. Slave labor just doesn't result in a quality product.

[scoopscandal]

Good grief.

[Spok]

North Korea must go to war or it will crumble under the weight of famine.

[AmericanInTokyo]

They already HAVE worked. Tests, that is.

The DPRK shot a Taepodong-1 right over Japan, into the Pacific Ocean, in shocking tests (that put Japan on national alert) over five years ago.

[snopercod]

I want to visit Sin Island.

[Begin]

Dear Peaceniks,

Still think SDI was a dumb idea?

[Peach]

I don't believe for a minute that these missiles will work. Slave labor just doesn't result in a quality product.

You wouldn't want to bet a nation's security on that, would you?

[CougarGA7]

I don't believe for a minute that these missiles will work. Slave labor just doesn't result in a quality product.

I don't believe I want to take that chance.

[AmericanInTokyo]

Follow up to story several days ago:

US Intelligence REVISES estimate of nuclear weapons held by North Korea, from the current TWO (2), upwards to EIGHT (8), demonstrating DPRK's ability to not only engage in defensive nuclear posture, but also create a strong nuclear threat to Northeast Asian nations.

Based on additional intelligence, analysis of plutonium residual on the clothes of American delegation members who visited DPRK several months ago, etc.

[COEXERJ145]

The missile is presumed to be a development on the Soviet SS-N-6 sub-launched ballistic missile...

The Soviet/Russian R-7 (NATO SS-N-6/SERB) has been around since the early 1960's. It is a two stage, liquid fueled missile that has been considered obsolete for ages. Liquid fueled missiles do not provide a very good response time as they must be fueled before launch. Using so called "storable liquid fuel" missiles is very dangerous and can result in a major BOOM! Just ask the Air Force about what happened to the Titan II missile in Arkansas.

If they really wanted to build a decent missile based on a Soviet design, they'd go with either the R-36 (SS-9), the R-36M (SS-18), or the RU-100N (SS-19).

[Travis McGee]

Ping

[Joe Brower]

Perhaps of interest. "Dragon's Fury" ping!

[Frank_Discussion]

The Soviet Gulags pushed out a LOT of very good hardware. Managed correctly, a tech workforce in slavery can be quite productive.

[Frank_Discussion]

D*mn freekin' d*mn! Can't we do a little deploying ourselves? Like deploying another train station for them?