By Dr. Jong-Heon Lee*
North Korea is nearing deployment of short-range artillery rockets near the inter-Korean border, which would pose a “real threat” to the Seoul metropolitan city and U.S. bases in the South, military sources said.
The new precision-guided multiple rocket launching system (MLRS) with a 300 millimeter caliber is an advanced type of artillery that can hit targets as far away as 200 kilometers (124 miles), putting most of the southern half of the peninsula within range.
“North Korea has conducted test-launches of the new artillery rockets and is believed set to deploy them along the border,” the source said.
If deployed along the border, artillery rockets fired by the 300-mm MLRS can strike Seoul, 50 kilometers away, and the South Korean military headquarters as well as U.S. bases, south of Seoul.
“The new MLRS is much more destructive than the North’s existing ones because it has larger caliber,” the source said.
The North has operated three types of MLRS with calibers of 107 mm, 122 mm and 240 mm. The largest 220-mm MLRS has a range 90 kilometers.
“It is hard to intercept the artillery rockets because they fly at lower altitudes than ballistic missiles, the military source said.
The artillery rockets can hardly be intercepted by either South Korea’s existing air defense system of the Patriot Advanced Capability-2 (PAC-2) or its new Korean Air and Missile Defense (KAMD) set for completion in 2020.
“As multiple-rocket launchers can move on trucks, it is nearly impossible to detect any signs of attack in advance, so it can pose a real threat to South Korea,” the source said. The new MLRS is capable of firing eight artillery rockets at once.
The new rocket launcher can also use highly destructive shells including high explosives with a larger radius for causing causalities, and dual-purpose improved conventional munition (DPICM).
The 300-mm MLRS was first detected by South Korean and U.S. militaries when North Korea fired short-range missiles in May 2013. The North has since conducted several test-launches to extend the range to 200 kilometers.
The North officially unveiled the 300-mm MLRS in a military parade held in central Pyongyang in October last year to mark the 70th founding anniversary of the Workers’ Party.
In a show that the MLRS development has been directly guided by North Korean leader Kim Jong-Un, he inspected the military's test-firing of artillery rockets from the 300-mm MLRS and expressed his satisfaction over the "perfect accuracy" of the launch system, according to the North’s Korean Central News Agency on March 22.
Kim said that its rocket launchers would help increase "the capability of the People's Army to mount a precision attack on the enemies' targets in the operational theater in the southern part of Korea," the KCNA said.
The North has warned that it is ready to "ruthlessly" destroy South Korea’s presidential house and government complex in Seoul, putting the South on a higher alert.
"All soldiers should be nurtured into warriors full of combat spirit and be on high alert," Kim Jong-Un said during his inspection of the country’s largest-ever artillery exercises, according to the KCNA on March 25.
The North's committee handling inter-Korean affairs also said in a statement: “The powerful large-caliber multiple rocket launching systems of invincible People's Army artillery units are highly alerted to scorch” South Korean presidential house.
Once buttons are pushed, the South's presidential office "is bound to be reduced to a sea in flames and ashes," it said.
North Korea is nearing deployment of short-range artillery rockets near the inter-Korean border, which would pose a “real threat” to the Seoul metropolitan city and U.S. bases in the South, military sources said.
The new precision-guided multiple rocket launching system (MLRS) with a 300 millimeter caliber is an advanced type of artillery that can hit targets as far away as 200 kilometers (124 miles), putting most of the southern half of the peninsula within range.
“North Korea has conducted test-launches of the new artillery rockets and is believed set to deploy them along the border,” the source said.
If deployed along the border, artillery rockets fired by the 300-mm MLRS can strike Seoul, 50 kilometers away, and the South Korean military headquarters as well as U.S. bases, south of Seoul.
“The new MLRS is much more destructive than the North’s existing ones because it has larger caliber,” the source said.
The North has operated three types of MLRS with calibers of 107 mm, 122 mm and 240 mm. The largest 220-mm MLRS has a range 90 kilometers.
“It is hard to intercept the artillery rockets because they fly at lower altitudes than ballistic missiles, the military source said.
The artillery rockets can hardly be intercepted by either South Korea’s existing air defense system of the Patriot Advanced Capability-2 (PAC-2) or its new Korean Air and Missile Defense (KAMD) set for completion in 2020.
“As multiple-rocket launchers can move on trucks, it is nearly impossible to detect any signs of attack in advance, so it can pose a real threat to South Korea,” the source said. The new MLRS is capable of firing eight artillery rockets at once.
The new rocket launcher can also use highly destructive shells including high explosives with a larger radius for causing causalities, and dual-purpose improved conventional munition (DPICM).
The 300-mm MLRS was first detected by South Korean and U.S. militaries when North Korea fired short-range missiles in May 2013. The North has since conducted several test-launches to extend the range to 200 kilometers.
The North officially unveiled the 300-mm MLRS in a military parade held in central Pyongyang in October last year to mark the 70th founding anniversary of the Workers’ Party.
In a show that the MLRS development has been directly guided by North Korean leader Kim Jong-Un, he inspected the military's test-firing of artillery rockets from the 300-mm MLRS and expressed his satisfaction over the "perfect accuracy" of the launch system, according to the North’s Korean Central News Agency on March 22.
Kim said that its rocket launchers would help increase "the capability of the People's Army to mount a precision attack on the enemies' targets in the operational theater in the southern part of Korea," the KCNA said.
The North has warned that it is ready to "ruthlessly" destroy South Korea’s presidential house and government complex in Seoul, putting the South on a higher alert.
"All soldiers should be nurtured into warriors full of combat spirit and be on high alert," Kim Jong-Un said during his inspection of the country’s largest-ever artillery exercises, according to the KCNA on March 25.
The North's committee handling inter-Korean affairs also said in a statement: “The powerful large-caliber multiple rocket launching systems of invincible People's Army artillery units are highly alerted to scorch” South Korean presidential house.
Once buttons are pushed, the South's presidential office "is bound to be reduced to a sea in flames and ashes," it said.
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