North Korea Tests New Rocket Artillery Guided Munitions
The North Korean army has recently undertaken tests of new guided munition systems, according to a Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) press release. A guidance system for a 240mm missile was developed for and tested with North Korea’s M1991 Multiple Rocket Launcher System (MLRS). The guided rocket was developed and manufactured by the Academy of Defence Science of the DPRK in Pyongyang.
The KCNA press released noted:
“The Academy of Defence Science of the DPRK succeeded in developing new controllable shell and ballistic control system for multiple rocket launcher. The Academy of Defence Science conducted a ballistic control test firing of 240 mm-caliber controllable multiple rocket launcher shells on February 11 to evaluate their accuracy and prove their advantages.”
North Korean army utilizes many artillery systems of various calibers including Soviet-manufactured platforms that were either adapted or deeply modernized for domestic needs. However, the North Korean military industry was able to deliver two MLRS in 240mm caliber, namely the M1985 and M1991. Both of those systems have an estimated range of 30 to 50 kilometers and can conduct artillery strikes deeply behind the demarcation line with South Korea. This capability means they can reach South Korea’s capital Seoul with ease.
The introduction of guided munitions for the M1985/1991 system closes the technological gap between the artillery systems at the disposal of South Korea, such as the K239 Chunmoo. The greatest concern, however, is the possibility of striking critical infrastructure objects and government buildings by North Kore. North Korea has at its disposal an estimated 500 MLRS of both M1985 and M1991 types. However, those are supplemented by much less potent BM-11 (domestic adaptation of ‘Grad’ MLRS) and other larger caliber rocket launcher systems such as BMD-20. It is also possible that North Korea still has some systems of World War Two vintage, such as BM-13 and BM-31 in its mobilization stockpiles.
North Korean 240mm rocket artillery systems pose a serious threat to South Korean security and for some years they have been perceived as valid targets for preemptive strikes in case of the imminent threat of a renewed conflict. The appearance of new guided munitions for these platforms will only further reinforce this approach.