TACTICAL GUIDED WEAPONS

[Anchor Lead]

It's still unclear whether the new tactical guided weapons that North Korea fired on May 4 were short-range ballistic missiles. South Korea's Ministry of National Defense says for now it can't be ascertained that the projectiles were ballistic missiles. We have the details.

[Pkg]

The defense ministry announced North Korea fired around 10 to 20 short-range projectiles on May 4. It added that the projectiles included three types of weapons.

[Soundbite] KIM JUN-RAK(JOINT CHIEFS OF STAFF) : "Multiple short-range projectiles including 240mm and 300mm rocket launchers and other new tactical guided weapons have been captured."

The MND explained that several of the fired projectiles flew at an altitude of 20-60 kilometers, and covered a distance of 70-240 kilometers. The big question is, are the projectiles, which the regime claims to be new tactical guided weapons, ballistic missiles. The Ministry says it is difficult to confirm that detail for now. Because the trajectories of only some of the projectiles have been confirmed, and there is insufficient data to determine what specific type they are. It reiterated the intelligence organs of South Korea and the United States are analyzing the launch. The ministry denied that the fired projectiles were in violation of the inter-Korean military agreement, yet it avoided giving an immediate answer.

[Soundbite] CHOI HYUN-SOO(SPOKESPERSON, MIN. OF NATIONAL DEFENSE) : "We are very concerned that the launch may be in violation of the September 19 military agreement. We urge North Korea to stop actions that escalate military tensions on the Korean Peninsula."

Upon receiving the Defense Ministry's report, the head of the National Assembly National Defense Committee, Ahn Kyu-baek, pointed out it is difficult to say for sure that the projectiles were short-range missiles. He added the firing was part of a military drill, not a provocation. However, the Liberty Korea Party blasted the MND for trying to downplay the launch by calling the fired objects "projectiles."