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North Korea has developed long range missile: Report
Seoul, Sept 08: North Korea has developed a long range missile capable of targeting all of Japan and the US territory of Guam, a South Korean newspaper reported today on the eve of the communist state`s 55th anniversary that will be marked with a lavish military parade.
Seoul, Sept 08: North Korea has developed a long range missile capable of targeting all of Japan and the US territory of Guam, a South Korean newspaper reported today on the eve of the communist state's 55th anniversary that will be marked with a lavish military parade.
Chosun Ilbo, one of South Korea's leading newspapers, quoted an unidentified government official as saying that the ballistic missile, with a range of 3,000 km to 4,000 km, was developed last year but has not yet been deployed.
The missile's range makes it more powerful than the 2,500-km range taepodong-1 missile that it test fired in 1998, which flew over Japan before falling into the Pacific Ocean. The north is believed to have an arsenal of up to 700 Rodong missiles, which can hit targets as far as 1,300 km away.
South Korea's defence ministry said it could not confirm the Chosun Ilbo report, which comes amid speculation in Washington that North Korea could carry out a nuclear test tomorrow, the anniversary of the formation of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea.
Some 20,000 troops, 150 tanks and other military vehicles are expected to be paraded through the reclusive nation's capital, Pyongyang, tomorrow. Some 50,000 participants including the country's leader Kim Jong Il will attend.
South Korea's Joongang Ilbo, another leading newspaper, said the parade is likely to feature the Rodong missile.
This will be the first time in several years that the north will hold one of its military parades, which had been set aside because of the country's poor economy.
Bureau Report
The missile's range makes it more powerful than the 2,500-km range taepodong-1 missile that it test fired in 1998, which flew over Japan before falling into the Pacific Ocean. The north is believed to have an arsenal of up to 700 Rodong missiles, which can hit targets as far as 1,300 km away.
South Korea's defence ministry said it could not confirm the Chosun Ilbo report, which comes amid speculation in Washington that North Korea could carry out a nuclear test tomorrow, the anniversary of the formation of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea.
Some 20,000 troops, 150 tanks and other military vehicles are expected to be paraded through the reclusive nation's capital, Pyongyang, tomorrow. Some 50,000 participants including the country's leader Kim Jong Il will attend.
South Korea's Joongang Ilbo, another leading newspaper, said the parade is likely to feature the Rodong missile.
This will be the first time in several years that the north will hold one of its military parades, which had been set aside because of the country's poor economy.
Bureau Report