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BBC News World Edition December 11, 2002

Wednesday, 11 December, 2002, 03:29 GMT

N Korea's Scud missiles

US officials believe that Scud missiles found on an intercepted cargo ship in the Arabian Sea came from North Korea. BBC News Online looks at North Korea's missile stockpile.

Expanding reach

North Korea was receiving tactical missiles from the Soviet Union as far back as 1969, but its first Scuds reportedly came via Egypt in 1976.

Egypt is believed to have supplied North Korea with Scud-B missiles in return for its support against Israel in the Yom Kippur War.

By 1984, North Korea was building its own Scud-Bs and since then has developed two new versions, the Scud-C and Scud-D (or Nodong), as well as a super-missile based on Scud technology, the Taepodong 1.

North Korea is believed to be working on modifications of the Taepodong with a range of up to 8,000 kilometres (4,971 miles).

The Scud-B, which has been gradually phased out by the Russian military since its introduction in the 1960s, was originally intended by Soviet designers to carry nuclear or conventional warheads.

The Scud is commonly fired from a heavy launch vehicle. Its warhead is permanently attached to the missile body and has a high-velocity impact.

But North Korean designers are believed to have modified the missile to carry chemical and bacteriological warheads.

The successful test-firing in August 1998 of a Taepodong 1, which flew over Japan, sparked serious concern in the West.

It is believed to be a two-stage missile composed of different Scuds.

Proliferation

Since its first reported use in combat during the Arab-Israeli war of 1973, the Scud has proven a deadly, if wildly inaccurate, weapon.

It was used by both sides during the devastating "war of the cities" in the Iran-Iraq conflict; then by Iraq during the Gulf War, when nearly 90 missiles were fired.

America lost 28 servicemen when one Scud hit a barracks in Dhahran, Saudi Arabia, and military experts have pointed to the difficulty of tracking down Scuds mounted on mobile launchers during that war.

North Korea, which was estimated to have 500 Scuds of various marks in 2000 alone, has a history of exporting its missiles or missile technology:

  • The US imposed sanctions on North Korea after it sold Scud-C missiles to Yemen in 1999-2000 - a sale defended by Yemen itself as a legitimate arms deal. Yemen said then that it had no further plans to buy North Korean Scuds.
  • In 1987-88, Iran is believed to have bought up to 100 Scud-B missiles from North Korea, adding to missiles and launchers already bought from Libya and Syria. North Korea is also believed to have helped supply technology for Iran to build its own Scuds.
  • Syria reportedly acquired 150 Scud-Cs along with launchers from North Korea in 1991.
  • Pakistan, Egypt and Libya have also reportedly received missiles or missile technology from Pyongyang.