SEOUL: North Korea has deployed 250 new mobile ballistic-missile launchers to its forces along the border with South Korea, the Korean Central News Agency reported on Monday, highlighting Pyongyang’s increasingly aggressive stance towards its neighbor.
At a ceremony marking the handover on Sunday, North Korean leader Kim Jong Un stated that the country has been able to “take the operational initiative with the overwhelming attack forces and striking means superior to the enemy on all fronts” and “enhance the practical effectiveness” of its tactical nuclear weapons.
According to the South Korean military, the proximity of these weapons to the border suggests they have a limited range. Some analysts believe these launchers may be intended for Hwasong-11D missiles, which were first test-fired in 2022. At that time, the South Korean military estimated their range to be 110 kilometers, potentially allowing Pyongyang to target bases in northern South Korea from near the border.
Kim expressed concerns about the “reckless expansion of the U.S.-led military bloc system,” concluding that North Korea’s nuclear forces and posture need to be “more thorough and perfect.” He asserted that the North’s military buildup is “self-defensive.”
Regarding Pyongyang’s approach to dealing with Washington, Kim stated, “Negotiations and confrontation are among our options, but we must be more thoroughly prepared to cope with the latter. This is the review and conclusion we have derived from the 30-odd years of dealing with the United States.”
“Whether engaged in negotiations or confrontation, possessing great military strength is an obligation and right,” he emphasized.
Kim also addressed the severe flooding that struck North Korea late last month, noting that holding the missile handover ceremony amid recovery efforts demonstrates the ruling Workers’ Party’s determination to advance its defense buildup without delay under any circumstances.
