DATE=3/25/99
TYPE=CORRESPONDENT REPORT
NUMBER=2-247142
TITLE=NORTH KOREA / MISSILES (L-ONLY)
BYLINE=JOHN LARKIN
DATELINE=SEOUL
CONTENT=
VOICED AT:  

INTRO:  SOUTH KOREAN OFFICIALS SAID THURSDAY NORTH KOREA HAS AT 
LEAST FOUR MISSILE FACTORIES AND 10 LAUNCH BASES.  JOHN LARKIN 
REPORTS FROM SEOUL, THE  DISCLOSURE CAME ONLY DAYS BEFORE FRESH 
MISSILE TALKS BETWEEN PYONGYANG  AND WASHINGTON.

TEXT: A SEOUL GOVERNMENT OFFICIAL QUOTED BY SOUTH KOREA'S 
SEMI-OFFICIAL YONHAP NEWS AGENCY SAID THE NORTH WAS BUILDING EVEN
MORE MISSILE BASES TO SUPPLEMENT ITS EXISTING FACILITIES.

HE SAID THERE WERE REPORTS THE NUMBER OF MISSILE-PRODUCING 
FACTORIES  COULD BE AS HIGH AS EIGHT, WHILE MISSILE BASES COULD 
TOTAL AS MANY AS  12. THE CONFIRMED TOTAL WAS FOUR FACTORIES AND 
10 BASES, HE SAID.

THE REPORT COMES AS THE UNITED STATES AND NORTH KOREA PREPARE TO 
RESUME TALKS IN PYONGYANG ON MARCH 29TH TO ADDRESS THE COMMUNIST 
NATION'S  SUSPECTED MISSILE PROGRAM.

PYONGYANG TEST-FIRED A THREE-STAGE ROCKET OVER JAPAN LAST AUGUST,
STUNNING THE WORLD AND PROMPTING FEARS IT WAS DEVELOPING 
BALLISTIC  MISSILES AT A FASTER PACE THAN PREVIOUSLY THOUGHT.

THE UNITED STATES WANTS NORTH KOREA TO CEASE PRODUCTION, TESTING 
AND EXPORT OF MISSILES. THE NORTH INSISTS IT HAS THE RIGHT TO 
DEVELOP BALLISTIC  MISSILES, AND HAS DEMANDED THREE BILLION 
DOLLARS OVER THREE YEARS AS  COMPENSATION FOR HALTING MISSILE 
EXPORTS.

MISSILE SALES HAVE BECOME AN IMPORTANT SOURCE OF INCOME FOR THE  
IMPOVERISHED NORTH. SOUTH KOREA SAYS PYONGYANG EXPORTED 250 
MISSILES  WORTH 580 BILLION DOLLARS BETWEEN 1987 AND 1992. 
DEPENDENCE ON MISSILE EXPORT EARNINGS IS BELIEVED TO HAVE 
INCREASED SINCE THEN, AS THE NORTH'S  ECONOMY HAS GROWN WEAKER.

SOUTH KOREAN PRESIDENT KIM DAE-JUNG WAS TOLD THIS WEEK BY HIS 
DEFENSE MINISTRY THAT NORTH KOREA'S MILITARY ARSENAL OF 
CONVENTIONAL WEAPONS WAS SMALLER THAN BEFORE, BUT THE NORTH'S 
PURSUIT OF WEAPONS OF MASS DESTRUCTION  MEANT IT REMAINED A 
SERIOUS THREAT.

ON THURSDAY, U-S AMBASSADOR TO SOUTH KOREA, STEPHEN BOSWORTH, 
SAID THE  NORTH KOREAN THREAT WAS POTENTIALLY MORE DANGEROUS THAN
EVER, AS THE  COUNTRY COULD BE DEVELOPING BALLISTIC MISSILES AND 
NUCLEAR WEAPONS IN  TANDEM. (SIGNED)

NEB/JL/GC/PLM

   



25-Mar-99 4:01 AM EST (0901 UTC)
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Source: Voice of America
.