Ballistic missile launchers that North Korea has said it plans to deploy on the border with South Korea are believed to have a range of 110 km (68 miles), allowing them to target Chungcheong Province south of Seoul, the Yonhap news agency reported.
North Korean state media reported earlier this month that leader Kim Jong Un oversaw the delivery of 250 new tactical ballistic missile launchers described as modern tactical weapons personally designed by Kim to be transferred to the border.
Experts have said Pyongyang could use them to attack or threaten Seoul.
South Korean intelligence officials, however, are sceptical over whether North Korea can supply enough missiles for the 250 missile launchers while it also supplies weapons to Russia as part of bilateral military cooperation, Yonhap reported on Monday, citing lawmakers on the intelligence committee.
North Korea and Russia have been accused of conducting arms trade by Seoul and Washington to help replenish Russia’s stock of missiles and artillery for its war with Ukraine. Pyongyang and Moscow have denied the allegations.
Meanwhile North Korea’s state media KCNA, reported that Kim Jong-un oversaw the test of a domestically-developed attack drone. Official media showcased photos of a white painted drone with an X-shaped tail and wings crashing into what appeared to be the mock up of a South Korea K-2 battle tank.
The test was apparently carried out at the site where North Korea’s Drone Institute is located. It quoted Kim as calling for the deployment of such drones with the military “as early as possible.”
He called for accelerated development and production of various systems including exploding drones to be used by the infantry and reconnaissance teams, reconnaissance and multipurpose attack drones and underwater suicide attack drones.
The drone test comes as the US and South Korea conduct large scale military exercises aimed at enhancing their combat capabilities to defend against any possible invasion by Pyongyang.
With Reuters inputs
