July 4, 2007:
South Korea believes that recent
North Korean missile tests are not of the anti-ship missiles they already have
(10-30 year old Russian and Chinese designs), but more modern models. That
means better guidance systems, and improved ability to get past electronic
countermeasures and decoys (like flares). The hundreds of anti-ship missiles
North Korea currently deploys are useless against a modern warship that has its
defenses turned on. But with better electronics, the existing North Korean
anti-ship missiles would be deadlier. While this would not do much for North
Korean defenses (the threat from the sea is not all that great), North Korea
could export these improved missiles to many nations that, otherwise, have a
hard time finding anyone who will sell them modern weapons. Nations like Iran
and Myanmar (Burma), or even terrorist organizations like Hizbollah or Hamas.