AFP, SEOUL: North Korea has developed new Scud missiles with a longer range and a higher degree of precision largely for targetting South Korea, a news report said.
The “Scud-ER” missile has a range of 600 kilometers (360 miles) to 1,000, double the ranges of North Korea's existing Scuds, the Chosun Ilbo, Seoul's largest-circulation daily said quoting government sources.
“US reconnaissance satellites spotted the new types of North Korean Scud missiles a couple of years ago. Work is under way to see if they have been deployed for operations,” an unnamed government source told Chosun.
The South Korean defense ministry declined to confirm the report.
North Korea has short-range Scud-Bs with a range of 300 kilometers as well as Scud-Cs with a range of 500 kilometers, targetting South Korea.
It has also deployed intermediate-range Rodong missiles with a 1,300 kilometer range which can hit targets in most areas of Japan.
Pyongyang stunned the world in 1998 by test-launching over Japan a Taepodong-1 missile with a range of up to 2,000 kilometers.
The missile is still in the testing stage, according to experts.
The Taepodong-2, a long-range missile with a range of 6,700 kilometers (4,150 miles), is also reportedly under development.
