[News Today] “N.Korea eyes missile exports to Russia”

[LEAD]
North Korea launched short-range ballistic missiles for the first time in over two months. The launch comes after a series of public visits by Chairman Kim Jong-un to arms factories, and analysts suggest the latest launch may have been a performance test aimed at potential exports to Russia.

[REPORT]
North Korea fired multiple short-range ballistic missiles into the East Sea from Wonsan on Thursday.

Various types of missiles were fired for over an hour from 8:10 a.m.

The projectile that flew about 250 km and fell onto the uninhabited "Alsom" Island, which the North uses as a target, is presumed to be a KN-25 super-large multiple rocket launcher.

Pyongyang has recently unveiled completed super-large multiple rocket launchers during Kim Jong-un's visit to a tank factory and a scene showing the production of cylindrical gun barrels during his visit to an artillery shell factory.

By manufacturing and firing projectiles repeatedly to verify their production, the North is apparently trying to stockpile them and promote their exports as well.

Hong Min / Korea Institute for Nat’l Unification
They are looking to establish a mass-production system to replenish Russia's weapon stockpiles and sell weapons externally at the same time.

One of the missiles launched this time flew up to 800km.

It appears to be a KN-23 missile.

Pyongyang has also dispatched operation technicians to Russia.

They are apparently working to enhance weapon performance using data acquired from real battles.

Lee Sung-jun / S. Korea’s Joint Chiefs of Staff
We assess it as a performance inspection aimed at exporting weapons or an experiment for evaluating flight stability.

The South Korean military says it is maintaining a thorough readiness posture of the South Korea-U.S. combined defense to prevent any misjudgment by Pyongyang ahead of the presidential election in the South, where some military commanders are currently in acting roles.