North Korea Carries Out Multiple Rocket Launcher Test, 2nd One In Two Weeks (Photographs)South Front

Click to see full-size image

On September 10^th, North Korean Leader Kim Jong Un, oversaw another test of the country’s newest super-large multiple rocket launcher. State outlet KCNA reported that two test-shots were carried out, both successful.

This is the second time the weapon is tested in several weeks, as on August 24^th KCNA reported of a test of the same system.

Following the second test, the system was deemed fully capable of operation:

“The Supreme Leader said that the weapon system of super-large multiple rocket launcher has been finally verified in terms of combat operation, the characteristics of trajectory, accuracy and precise homing functions, adding that what remains to be done is running fire test which is most vivid character in terms of the power of multiple rocket launcher.”

Following the August 24^th test, the KCNA report claimed that this was a Juche weapon yet again. Juche is the state ideology of North Korea – it is “Kim Il-sung’s original, brilliant and revolutionary contribution to national and international thought.” A “man-centered ideology” in which the “man is the master of everything and decides everything.”

The statement further said that these developments were mandatory, because North Korea felt the need to reinforce its defenses against any and all attacks on its sovereignty.

“An important mission our defense industry takes up is to contribute to increasing national defence capabilities in every way so as to safeguard the Party, revolution, country and people, guarantee the final victory of the revolution and lead and promote the building of a powerful socialist nation, he said, underscoring the need to push ahead with an indomitable offensive campaign to put our strength onto the level desired by us to continue to step up the development of Korean-style strategic and tactical weapons for resolutely frustrating the ever-mounting military threats and pressure offensive of the hostile forces.”

Judging by the new photos published by the Central Control Commission, the guided missile / rocket caliber is approximately 600 mm. According to South Korean data, they were able to track two shells flying about 330 km yesterday with a maximum height of 50-60 km.

At the same time, one of the photographs shows three empty containers of four, that is, maybe this time they wanted to shoot everything, but on the third shell something went wrong.

No issues were reported, according to the official report two shots were fired, both successfully and no other attempts were said to have happened.

Late July and August was a busy time for the defense industry in the North, as several missile tests were carried out in the first half of the month. These are mostly in response to US-South Korean joint exercises, which the North repeatedly condemned.

Pyongyang maintained that these exercises go counter to any claims by Seoul that the South wishes to reach a peaceful resolution to the Korean Peninsula issue.