North Korea
January 18th Machine Factory
About
According to a source in the South Korean military, this factory produces Scud missile engines. Han Tŏk Su, former chairman of the pro-North Korean General Federation of Korean Residents in Japan (Choch’ongnyŏn), reportedly visited the January 18th Machine Factory in April 1987. His guide told him the facility had been built under an apartment complex, and that very few people living in Kaech’ŏn knew about the factory. Han was also told that the factory mainly produced missiles, tanks and motors. According to the South Korean Ministry of Unification, this factory produces rocket engines.
Glossary
- Scud
- Scud is the designation for a series of short-range ballistic missiles developed by the Soviet Union in the 1950s and transferred to many other countries. Most theater ballistic missiles developed and deployed in countries of proliferation concern, for example Iran and North Korea, are based on the Scud design.
Sources
[1] “Sunch’ŏn.Kaech’ŏn’e Missile Kongjang,” Joongang Ilbo, 10 January 2000, www.joins.com.
[2] Kim In Ch’ŏl, “Chŏn Kim Il Sŏng T’ong’yŏkkwan’gyŏm Kowiwoe’gyo’gwan/Ko Yŏng Hwannŭn Malhanda: 6,” Taehan Maeil, 9 October 1991, p. 5, in KINDS, www.kinds.or.kr.
[3] Seoul Shinmun (Taehan Maeil), 9 October 1991, p. 5, in “Defector on North’s Nuclear Development,” FBIS JPRS-TND-91-017, 7 November 1991, pp. 8-9.
[4] “N. Korea Goes Underground with Nuclear Plants,” Washington Times, 25 October 1991, p. A11, in Lexis-Nexis Academic Universe, www.lexis-nexis.com.
[5] “Pukhan’ŭi Missile Kaebal Kunsa,” Tongil News, 27 February 2001, www.tongilnews.com.