Latest missile tested could reach U.S. mainland, experts say
The Daepodong-1 missile launched by North Korea in August 1998 was a failure in terms of expected range, but its warhead dropped to the Pacific Ocean after flying nearly 1,050 km. On the contrary, the Daepodong-2 missile tested yesterday fell to the sea only 42 seconds after being fired. Regarding this, some experts noted that the strategic value of North Korea’s long-range missiles has significantly decreased. At the same time, the country’s place in the ’missile market,’ which earns it 1.5 billion USD annually in export sales, has suffered a disgrace. The Daepodong-2 missile is a product of eight years of development. What is the reason, then, that the missile dropped almost immediately after being launched? Experts rejected the possibility of U.S. interception. Instead, some estimated that there might have been a problem in the fuel loading process, which was drawn out for two weeks. Charles Vick, a senior researcher for GlobalSecurity.org, a Washington-based military advisory group, wrote in an article that the fluid fuel used for Daepodong-2 missiles is highly explosive, so once loaded into the missile it should be stirred every two days. Moreover, he said, the missile should be fired "shortly" thereafter.Paek Seung-joo, an analyst at the Korea Institute for Defense Analyses (KIDA), a group affiliated with the Ministry of National Defense, pointed out, "If North Korea did not fire its missiles, it would have lost face. Therefore, it may have adjusted the missiles’ range on purpose so as not to [make the launch] look like a frontal challenge to the outside world." A Japanese military expert said, "The North could exhibit its capabilities to Washington and Tokyo by just launching its missiles. Pyongyang wanted to send a powerful message to the two governments, but it may have fired the missiles in another direction instead of toward the Pacific Ocean so as not to provoke the two nations." It is unclear if the failed long-range missile was a Daepodong-2 or a more advanced version, dubbed the Daepodong-3. The latter missile could reach all parts of the U.S. mainland, according to experts. The Associated Press reported that the missile was a Daepodong-2 with a maximum range of 15,000 km, citing two officials of the U.S. State Department. In the mid-1970s to early 1980s, North Korea imported from Egypt Scud-B missiles and launch pads made by the Soviet Union. Since then, the North has reportedly developed its own missiles. According to GlobalSecurity.org, the advanced version of the Scud-B missile has a range of 110-500 km. It is estimated that about 500 of these missiles are deployed in North Korea. When North Korea sought a means to restrain Japan and the U.S. military bases there, it developed the Nodong-1 missile using Soviet and Chinese technology. That missile has a range of over 1,000 km, and was successfully test-fired in May 1993. The range of the advanced version of the Nodong missile, the Nodong-B, is estimated at 2,750-4,000 km. About 100 Nodong missiles are known to be deployed in North Korea.
