March 19, 2024
Analysis

The threat of North Korea’s new rocket artillery

Possible 300mm multiple rocket launcher may have range covering half of South Korea

The North Korean military may have test fired a new type of artillery rocket on its east coast recently, one with a long range that could be a substantial threat to South Korean.

The Korean People’s Army (KPA) fired a total of eight rounds from a new 300mm multiple rocket launcher (MRL) artillery system near Wonsan on February 21 and March 4, YTN and Yonhap reported, citing Blue House spokesman Min Kyung-wook and Ministry of National Defense spokesman Kim Min-seok. North Korea test fired four rockets of about a 300mm caliber into the sea on each day along with 240mm rockets and SCUD missiles. The rockets reportedly reached a range of around 155km to the northeast of Wonsan, but the MND estimates the weapon’s maximum range as 180-200km. The test firing took place at the Galma Peninsula near Wonsan on the country’s southeastern coastline, a site which the KPA has used in the past for artillery firing drills.

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