North Korea places tactical nukes front and center with New Year’s Day launch



Analysis North Korea places tactical nukes front and center with New Year’s Day launch DPRK seeks to make KN-25 the backbone of its tactical nuclear forces, though the weapon likely can’t play that role yet Ankit Panda January 1, 2023 SHARE COPY LINK FACEBOOK X LINKEDIN MASTODON Kim Jong Un standing in front of artistic renders of the "super-large multiple rocket launcher system" presented at Saturday's ceremony, featuring an anti-U.S. propaganda slogan on its front bumper \| Image: Rodong Sinmun (Jan. 1, 2023) North Korea wasted little time jump-starting work on its missile ambitions in the new year. Early on New Year’s Day, the Korean People’s Army test-fired its “super-large multiple launch rocket system" (MLRS). Known to the U.S. intelligence community as the KN-25, this 600mm system first appeared in 2019 and has been a mainstay of short-range missile testing and exercises by North Korea ever since. Among the new capabilities the DPRK has introduced since it resumed missile testing following the collapse of the Hanoi summit, the KN-25 hasn’t necessarily been a standout. The KN-23 and Read More © Korea Risk Group. All rights reserved. No part of this content may be reproduced, distributed, or used for commercial purposes without prior written permission from Korea Risk Group. LATEST ANALYSIS 01North Korea’s politburo meeting hints at secret changes to senior officials 02The bureaucracy test: Signs to look for before a Trump-Kim summit 03China has reasons to like Trump’s North Korea outreach — and reasons to worry 04North Korea’s old alliance with Tanzania quietly finds new life 05North Korea has named its price for reopening UK’s embassy in Pyongyang 06Why Trump’s new counter-cybercrime model curiously leaves out North Korea 07The Kremlin veteran tasked with keeping Russia-North Korea’s alliance on track 08North Korea’s imports of sanctioned goods rise as China trade slows 09How bribery became rooted in North Korea’s military and the challenges of reform 10Trump revives playbook on North Korea diplomacy, but Kim holds more cards now

Analysis

North Korea places tactical nukes front and center with New Year’s Day launch

DPRK seeks to make KN-25 the backbone of its tactical nuclear forces, though the weapon likely can’t play that role yet

Ankit Panda January 1, 2023

North Korea places tactical nukes front and center with New Year’s Day launch

Kim Jong Un standing in front of artistic renders of the "super-large multiple rocket launcher system" presented at Saturday's ceremony, featuring an anti-U.S. propaganda slogan on its front bumper | Image: Rodong Sinmun (Jan. 1, 2023)

North Korea wasted little time jump-starting work on its missile ambitions in the new year. Early on New Year’s Day, the Korean People’s Army test-fired its “super-large multiple launch rocket system" (MLRS). Known to the U.S. intelligence community as the KN-25, this 600mm system first appeared in 2019 and has been a mainstay of short-range missile testing and exercises by North Korea ever since.

Among the new capabilities the DPRK has introduced since it resumed missile testing following the collapse of the Hanoi summit, the KN-25 hasn’t necessarily been a standout. The KN-23 and

North Korea places tactical nukes front and center with New Year’s Day launch

LATEST ANALYSIS

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Ankit Panda