12.02.2017.

KBS News

Gim Gyeongsu

Video at link

Last year in October in North Korea’s North Pyeongan province, in the area round Banghyeon, a satellite was photographed. A runway and flight facilities and an aeronautical factory were all captured on film, alongside more than 300 unmanned drones.

Particularly as the Banghyeon adjoins the West Sea [ie opposite China], it may have been chosen as a launching site to reduce the burden placed on North Korea’s east coast [by Japanese/US defence scrutiny]. The North Korean military fired two missiles in October last year, and so the South Korean military has been observing the North Korean east coast. Although the recent missile tests have involved flights of just 500km, it’s believed that they have been in preparation for the development of a more advanced class of missile which can fly 3,000km. Firstly these missiles have a higher speed than the Mach 9.5 of the earlier Nodong class. Additionally, our analysis is that the higher speed, altitude and range of these missiles is intended to reduce the time spent over Japanese territorial waters and lessen the chance of the missile being intercepted.

In particular South Korean military authorities will be looking to discren whether the new missile used solid or liquid fuels. Solid fuel, unlike liquid fuel, is much more of a threat as firing can be prepared clandestinely – there’s no need to expose the fuel injection process.

Our supposition is that North Korea is seeking to develop an ICBM in order to assert its dominance. Yang Uk, a Senior Research Fellow with the Korean Defence Security Forum, said: “There was a test on the engine [used today] last year, and I expect that there will be more firings to come this year.” Experts say that North Korea’s goal is likely to be to continue with similar provocations in the near future, in order to improve the performance and stability of their solid fuel engine.