N. Korea tests upgraded 240mm rocket artillery, raising threat to greater Seoul area

North Korea has disclosed a test firing of an upgraded 240mm multiple rocket launcher and is raising the threat level against the greater Seoul area south of the MDL.

KCNA reported Thursday that "in accordance with the plan for modernizing artillery and missile forces to fulfill the five-year defense development goals, the defense science research sector conducted a test firing of an upgraded 240mm guided rocket artillery round on Tuesday."

The agency said the upgraded round is equipped with an autonomous precision guidance system capable of striking targets at 100 km using a ballistic flight mode and 115 km using a combined glide flight mode. It added that the test "verified the accuracy and superiority of the rocket artillery round."

Pak Jong-chon, vice chairman of the Workers' Party Central Military Commission, said the country must "concentrate the most lethal and destructive offensive capabilities on the southern border" and "make the enemy aware, in the shortest possible time, that all of our forces' long-range strike assets have been upgraded."

The test firing was directed by Ko Byong-hyon, chairman of the Second Economic Committee, and observed by Pak Jong-chon, Kim Jong-sik, first vice department director of the Central Committee, Jang Chang-ha, director general of the Missile General Bureau, and Yu Chang-son, chief of the artillery bureau of the Korean People's Army General Staff.

Earlier, North Korea conducted a test launch of a range-extended 240mm guided rocket artillery round in May under the observation of leader Kim Jong-un.

The 240mm multiple rocket launcher is a representative long-range artillery system designed for strikes against South Korea, forward-deployed near the MDL for surprise mass attacks on the greater Seoul area. The weapon has already been transferred to Russia and used in combat in the war in Ukraine.

Older variants have a range of roughly 60 km, but the upgraded version North Korea recently unveiled appears to have nearly doubled that range while adding a guidance system to improve accuracy.

North Korea's 240mm multiple rocket launcher is often compared to South Korea's 239mm guided multiple launch rocket system, the Chunmoo, which has a range of about 80 km. North Korea claimed Tuesday that the new 240mm system's range has been extended to a maximum of 115 km.

That means the 240mm rocket artillery's strike range now extends beyond Seoul to reach USFK bases in Osan and Pyeongtaek.

North Korea has been pushing to modernize its frontline fire systems in line with Kim's directive to "fortify the southern border," and has previously announced plans to deploy additional new 240mm rocket artillery units.

South Korea's Joint Chiefs of Staff said the military detected several rocket artillery rounds fired from the South Pyongan Province area into the West Sea on Tuesday, adding that detailed specifications are under analysis.

The Joint Chiefs added that "under the solid ROK-US combined defense posture, our military is closely monitoring North Korea's various activities and maintaining the capability and readiness to respond overwhelmingly to any provocation."