[Mock-up missiles displayed at Seoul's war museum[Photo by Namkung Jin-woong]
North Korea has completed the development of a new multiple launch rocket launcher with a range of up to 200 kilometers (124 miles) for possible deployment late this year, South Korea's defense minister said.
The new weapon has been developed as a cheaper alternative to North Korea's Scud ballistic missiles, Defense Ministry Han Min-koo told reporters.
"Our assessment is that North Korea has almost completed its development through test firing several times," he said, adding the North's 300-mm multiple rocket launcher could be deployed at the end of this year.
Last month Pyongyang's official KCNA news agency said North Korea's new multiple rocket launch system is ready for deployment to mount a precision attack on key targets across the border.
KCNA said North Korean leader Kim Jong-un inspected the "final" test-firing of large-caliber multiple rocket launchers and expressed his satisfaction with their accuracy.
Han also warned that North Korea is always ready to carry out another nuclear test.
"Based on our close monitoring of nuclear test tunnels and adjacent areas, we believe a test is possible at any time if North Korea's leadership makes a decision," he said.
Aju News Lim Chang-won = cwlim34@ajunews.com
reporter
Park Sae-jin
swatchsjp@ajunews.com
