YONHAP NEWS

(LEAD) N. Korea steps up special forces, deploys medium-range missiles: defense paper

   By Sam Kim
SEOUL, Feb. 23 (Yonhap) -- Taking cues from wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, North Korea has ramped up its special forces capable of rapid infiltration, while completing the development of its medium-range ballistic missiles, South Korea said Monday.

   In its latest assessment of the communist neighbor, the South Korean defense ministry also said the North is believed to have secured 40 kilograms of plutonium, while reinforcing its submarines.

   The total number of North Korean troops increased to 1.19 million, an increase of 20,000 from 2006. The number of special forces that carry light equipment to swiftly infiltrate South Korean territory has increased 50 percent to 180,000, the 2008 defense white paper said.

   The North Korean intermediate-range ballistic missiles can travel up to 3,000 kilometers -- enough to reach the northern tip of Australia -- while carrying warheads of up to 650 kilograms, according to the paper.

   The publication did not specify the number of medium-range missiles North Korea has "deployed for operational use" since last year, but added Pyongyang began to develop them in the late 1990's.

   The two Koreas remain technically at war after the 1950-53 Korean War ended in a truce rather than a peace treaty. U.S. and South Korean officials recently said North Korea is preparing to test-fire its longest-range missile, the Taepodong-2.

   The model has an estimated range of over 6,700 kilometers, putting Alaska and Hawaii within striking distance, but the technology related to it remains "under development," the paper said.

   North Korea has expanded the warhead capacity of its short-range missiles by 170 to 200 kilograms across the board over the past few years, the paper said.

   South Korea has 665,000 troops, backed by 28,500 U.S. troops stationed here.

   The North's multiple rocket launchers, which weapons experts believe have a range of hundreds of kilometers and can quickly dodge counter artillery, have increased to about 5,100, an increment of 300 compared to two years ago, the paper said.

   samkim@yna.co.kr
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