NK Missile Deployment

[Anchor Lead]

In our top story, there are signs that North Korea has re-deployed its missiles in an apparent response to the deployment of THAAD, the high-altitude missile defense system, in the South. Here’s more.

[Pkg]

North Korea launched a Rodong missile from Hwangju in the western province of Hwanghae-do on July 19th. The South Korean military believes that North Korea shot up the missile after moving it down south to Hwangju from the original tactical area near Pyongyang.

[Soundbite] Moon Seong-mook(Korea Natl. Strategy Research Center) : "It's very unusual to have deployed the Rodong missile to the front, as far south as Hwangju, and launched it."

According to British military analysis group Jane's, the Rodong missile base appears to have relocated closer to the armistice line farther south. If this analysis is correct, this means that North Korea has deployed the mid-range Rodong missiles toward the front line together with the short-range Scud missiles. Jane's also reported that the intercontinental ballistic missile KN-08 base opened near the North Korean-Chinese border.

[Soundbite] Moon Seong-mook(Korea Natl. Strategy Research Center) : "These may be attempts to operate the missiles in an unconventional way to maximize the chances of reaching their goal after considering several changes in situation."

It appears that Kim Jong-un is trying to counter the Terminal High-altitude Area Defense system to be located in South Korea by redeploying his missile arsenals.