'북한판 에이태킴스'까지 '3종 신형무기' 배치 임박... 北, 한미훈련 종료에 미사일 발사 끝낼까
Some analysts think North Korea might be almost ready to deploy the new weapons it's been testing for the past several weeks.
But, with joint South Korea-U.S.military drills ending tomorrow, eyes are on whether the North will stop its tests.
Oh Jung-hee has more.
North Korea seems set to deploy new types of short-range projectiles after a series of tests over the past few weeks.
On Saturday, the state-run Korean Central News Agency reported that the regime tested a 'new weapon' the previous day and Kim Jong-un personally oversaw the launch.
The report didn't provide any details about the weapon itself, but revealed six photos of it, which showed the same 'new weapon' the regime tested the week prior.
The weapon is assessed by military experts as North Korea's version of ATACMS a surface-to-surface tactical missile system developed by the U.S.
It carries several hundred rounds of sub-munitions which can level an area as large as three to four soccer fields.
The North's test-fire of the 'new weapon' comes in addition to its tests of a new guided multiple rocket launcher... and a new short-range ballistic missile that resembles Russia's Iskander and has a pull-up maneuver.
Pyeongyang claims all the tests were successful, which points to the possibility that deployment of the weapons could be drawing near.
North Korea has stressed its recent missile tests are an eye-for-an-eye move against the South Korea-U.S. joint military exercises.
Over the weekend, it once again emphasized it needs to deploy some "powerful physical means" to counter potential threats.
But as the Seoul-Washington "Combined Command Post Training" wraps up on Tuesday, eyes fall on whether the North will stop missile testing as well.
South Korea's intelligence authorities say the North is carrying out back-to-back test-firings at this time, because it won't be able to... once working-level denuclearization talks with the U.S. get underway when the drills are over.
Oh Jung-hee, Arirang News.
