N. Korea tested highly upgraded short-range ballistic missiles: U.S

Asian Political News, March 13, 2006

WASHINGTON, March 9 Kyodo

The two short-term missiles test-fired this week by North Korea were a ballistic version dramatically upgraded with solid fuel for easier transport and higher accuracy than liquid fuel missiles, a U.S. general said Thursday.

Testifying before the House of Representatives Armed Services Committee, Gen. Burwell Bell, commander of the U.S. forces in South Korea, said the missiles marked a ''quantum leap'' in terms of performance from those tested previously by North Korea.

Bell said Pyongyang is focusing its missile development on short-range versions with an ''active'' testing program, and its activity for longer-range missiles is lower than in the 1990s.

But he noted that North Korea maintains a program to develop a three-stage intercontinental ballistic missile, which he described as ''Taepodong-3,'' with a potential to be operational within the next decade and a capability to target ''throughout'' the continental United States.

Also given North Korea's nuclear development program, Bell said proliferation is ''the biggest concern'' for North Korea that must be dealt with in cooperation in the international community.

Meanwhile, Bell played down North Korea's possible military attack on the South.

''If the North miscalculated, I am absolutely convinced...that we have what we need to defeat an attack by North Korea quickly,'' he said.

Also testifying before the House committee, U.S. Pacific Command Commander Adm. William Fallon praised Japan for its cooperation in a joint development of a ballistic missile defense system, and defended it as ''also benefiting the United States'' against possible adverse reaction from China and other Asian nations.

Fallon acknowledged that ''mistrust'' prevails in the region since World War II, but stressed that Japan fell into a pressing need to seek cooperation with the United States due to North Korea's ''saber-rattling'' missile threat.

On Wednesday, the two nations successfully carried out the first test of their jointly developed interceptor missile tipped with a Japan-designed advanced ''clamshell'' nosecone.

Tokyo and Washington began the joint project after North fired a multistage missile, part of which flew over Japan into the Pacific, in August 1998. Pyongyang maintains it was for sending a satellite into orbit, but sticks to a moratorium for launching medium and long-range missiles agreed with the United States in 1999.

Fallon also said the Japan-U.S. cooperation is advancing further, with ongoing negotiations to set up advanced high-resolution X-band radar in western Japan for earlier detection of missile launches.

Asked about China's efforts to build up its Navy, especially submarines, Fallon said, ''That's the big question.''

But Fallon said the Chinese move is chiefly aimed at ''dealing with Taiwan and our potential response'' if China attacks the island.

Military experts said China is building up its submarines to stop U.S. carriers and other warships.

As for North Korea's missiles, Bell was apparently referring to short-range Scud missiles. He said earlier this week that Pyongyang already possesses more than 600 that can deliver conventional or chemical munitions across the entire Korean Peninsula.

During a Senate Armed Services Committee hearing Tuesday, Burwell also said North Korea also have as many as 200 ballistic missiles with a medium range of 1,300 kilometers capable of reaching Japan with the same payloads.

Bell said North Korea is also preparing to deploy a new intermediate range ballistic missile that could reach Okinawa, Guam and Alaska, while continuing to develop the long-range missiles.