内容摘要：A ceremony on the delivery of 250 new tactical ballistic missile launchers to front-line units takes

A ceremony on the delivery of 250 new tactical ballistic missile launchers to front-line units takes place in Pyongyang, Sunday, with North Korean leader Kim Jong-un and his daughter Ju-ae in attendance, in this photo released by the North's state-run Korean Central News Agency. Yonhap

Kim Jong-un hails new weaponry as 'deterrent to US nuclear threats'By Lee Hyo-jin

North Korea said Monday that it is set to deploy 250 ballistic missile launchers to frontline military units, a development that experts warn could pose serious threats to South Korea's missile defense capabilities.

Theoretically, if this new weapons system is used in full force, it would be capable of firing up to 1,000 short-range missiles simultaneously across the inter-Korean border, the experts said.

According to the North's state-run Korean Central News Agency (KCNA), North Korean leader Kim Jong-un attended a commissioning ceremony in Pyongyang the previous day, where 250 new tactical ballistic transporter erector launchers (TELs) were unveiled.

The report stated that these launch pads will soon be transferred to frontline missile units.

During the event, which was attended by troops and military scientists, Kim delivered what the KCNA described as a "historic speech," reaffirming his belief that stockpiling nuclear weapons is the best strategy to counter perceived nuclear threats from the United States and its allies.

"The U.S.-led alliance has transformed in its essence into a military bloc based on nuclear power, using this as justification for strengthening military capabilities," Kim was quoted as saying by the KCNA.

"We have now improved the effectiveness of tactical nuclear weapons from a practical perspective. We have obtained a clear and overwhelming deterrent against the enemy's reckless provocations," he said.

The North Korean leader said this marks the "first phase" of the regime's goal to bolster missile power for frontline units and vowed to showcase the process of upgrading new weaponry every year.

Multiple photos released by KCNA showed rows of olive-green TELs, which were suspected to be platforms for the "Hwasong-11," North Korea's close-range ballistic missile (CRBM) with a range of 100 kilometers and an operational altitude of 25 kilometers. The North Korean military has conducted several tests of this missile since April 2022.

Given that each launcher appears to be designed to hold four missiles, theoretically, the new weapons system could fire 1,000 missiles at once.

North Korean leader Kim Jong-un delivers a speech, during a commissioning ceremony of what he claimed to be a new tactical ballistic missile weapon system to front-line units, in Pyongyang, Sunday, in this photo released by the North's official Korean Central News Agency. Yonhap

Park Won-gon, a professor of North Korean studies at Ewha Woman's University, commented that such a massive salvo could pose a serious threat to the South.

"It is rare for the North Korean regime to publicly reveal the exact number and scale of arms deployed to its border units. For the South Korean military, detecting and targeting the precise locations of these launchers could prove to be quite challenging," he said.

However, Park also suggested that North Korea's claims might be exaggerated and the actual number of launchers could be lower than announced.

Also, some critics suggest that the resource-scarce country may struggle to produce the large quantity of missiles needed for these launchers, especially given ongoing international sanctions against Pyongyang that bar the procurement of necessary components.

"While more observation is needed to determine the exact threats, it is clear that the Kim regime is prioritizing military might over the welfare of its people, given that the major military event was held as the nation continues to deal with the aftermath of recent floods," said Yang Moo-jin, president of the University of North Korean Studies.

This latest development comes amid escalating military tensions between the two Koreas. South Korea has been blasting anti-Pyongyang propaganda broadcasts across the border in response to the North's repeated launches of trash-carrying balloons.

South Korea's Joint Chiefs of Staff (JCS) stated that the newly deployed missile launchers appear to be aimed at posing various threats to the South. However, further analysis is required to evaluate their operational status.

"The South Korean and U.S. intelligence authorities are continuously tracking and monitoring North Korea's weapons development trends," said JCS spokesperson Col. Lee Sung-jun during a regular briefing, hours after the KCNA's announcement. "It is necessary to track and verify the performance and operational status of the weapon systems that North Korea has publicly reported."

Koo Byung-sam, spokesperson of the Ministry of Unification, speaks during a briefing at Government Complex Seoul, Monday. Yonhap

The North's disclosure of its missile launchers and subsequent deployment in its southern borders came just days after Seoul extended an olive branch to Pyongyang by offering humanitarian aid for flood relief.

Last Thursday, the South Korean government proposed humanitarian assistance for the flood damage and offered to discuss details through the Red Cross societies, marking Seoul's first offer of flood relief to its northern neighbor since 2012.

The Ministry of Unification said Monday it has yet to receive an official response from the North.

"We will not make any premature assumptions about the situation, but we hope for a positive response, given that we have made the offer with sincerity," said unification ministry spokesperson Koo Byung-sam.

Regarding the North's missile launchers, Koo said, "The government is closely monitoring North Korea's weapons production process," emphasizing that Pyongyang's illegal development of nuclear weapons remains the primary threat to peace and stability on the Korean Peninsula.