Inside the Ring

North Korea missile

U.S. intelligence officials say North Korea is moving ahead with the development of a medium-range ballistic missile that can hit U.S. forces in Asia.

Recent intelligence reports indicate that the North Koreans are building new bases for the missile.

“They’ve got a new intermediate-range missile that is likely based on a retired Soviet missile,” said a U.S. official familiar with the intelligence reports. The official did not identify the Russian missile or how North Korea obtained it.

The new missile is thought to have a range of about 1,240 miles, enough to hit targets in the Northeast Asia region.

The official said the new bases for the missile are not being built underground, as some Asian press reports have stated.

“The missile is new, but it doesn’t really give North Korea any new capability,” the official said. “They can attack South Korea and Japan with their current missiles.”

It is not known how close the North Koreans are to deploying the missile, which is expected to be put on a mobile missile launcher.

North Korea’s other missiles include 186-mile range Scuds, 620-mile range No-Dongs and 2,300-mile range Taepo-Dongs.

Taiwan support

The House has passed a measure calling on the Pentagon to set up high-level military exchanges between the U.S. and Taiwanese militaries, in legislation that is being opposed by the State Department.

An amendment to the fiscal 2005 defense authorization bill passed last week.

It calls for the Pentagon to establish a military exchange program with the Republic of China (Taiwan) “designed to improve Taiwan’s defenses against the People’s Liberation Army of the People’s Republic of China.”

The measure was sponsored by Rep. Jim Ryun, Kansas Republican, who said it is aimed at helping Taiwan bolster its antisubmarine warfare, missile defense and communications capabilities. All are areas identified by the Pentagon as needing improvement.

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