S. Korea to craft plan to develop new guided missile capable of striking NK artillery

This undated image, provided by the defense ministry, shows a test of a Korean Tactical Surface-to-Surface Missile. Yonhap

South Korea plans to adopt a basic plan as early as next month to develop a new advanced guided missile capable of striking North Korean long-range artillery pieces hidden in caves, the state arms procurement agency said Sunday.

The envisioned missile will be an upgraded version of the Korean Tactical Surface-to-Surface Missile (KTSSM), which is dubbed the "long-range artillery killer," according to the Defense Acquisition Program Administration (DAPA).

While the existing KTSSM system is operated on a fixed platform, the envisioned missile is expected to be run on a mobile launcher, which will enhance its maneuverability and survivability.

The current KTSSM has a range of 180 kilometers with its caliber at 400 millimeters. Its upgraded version is expected to be larger with a longer operational range of some 300 km.

The North's missile and artillery threats got renewed attention as the reclusive regime showcased a range of weapons systems capable of targeting the South during a massive military parade in Pyongyang on Wednesday.

They included "super-large" multiple rocket launchers and 152 mm-caliber self-propelled howitzers, as well as the KN-23 missile modeled after Russia's Iskander ballistic missile. (Yonhap)

This photo released Thursday shows what appears to be a solid-fuel intercontinental ballistic missile displayed at a military parade at Kim Il-sung Square in Pyongyang, North Korea, Wednesday, Feb. 8. Yonhap