N. Korea sells long-range ballistic missile to Syria, Libya

JERUSALEM [MENL] -- North Korea has sold the new Scud D long-range ballistic missile with a range of 700 kilometeres to Syria and Libya.

Libya is also interested in procuring the longer-range North Korean ballistic missile with a range of 1300 kilometers which is the original model for Iran's long-range Shihab-3 missile, the Israeli daily Ha'aretz reported on Monday.

Libya continues to build its arsenal of Scud missiles. On April 6, Swiss authorities seized a cargo of Scud missiles parts bound for Libya. Swiss airport police arrested an unnamed 44-year-old Taiwanese businessman travelling through Hong Kong and Zurich to Tripoli after they found mechanical parts in his suitcase, later identified as components for a propulsion device for Scud missiles.

According to the report, North Korea also plans to sell the Scud D to Egypt. Western intelligence sources told Ha'aretz that Egypt may also be producing medium-range Scud C missiles.

Syria already possesses the Russian-made Scud B missile with a range of 300 kilometers. Based on Russian technology, North Korea then developed the Scud C missile with a range of 500 kilometers. Scuds were used by Iraq in attacks on Israel during the 1991 Gulf War.

Ha'aretz reported that Syria has begun assembling the parts of Scud D missiles in a local factory established by the North Koreans. It is unclear whether Syria has begun producing Scud D parts itself or uses only parts imported from North Korea. It is also not known if the payload of the Scud D missile differs from the Scud B or Scud C or if its guidance system is more accurate.

But intelligence sources estimate that Damascus now has the capability to produce some of its own missile parts for the estrimated arsenal of at least 300 missiles and 26 launchers, as well as dummy launchers. All the missiles possess chemical warheads.

Iran continues to supply Damascus with rocket fuels for the Syrian missile arsenal.

In a related development, South Korean President Kim Dae-jung said Monday he would raise Japan's concern over the North Korean missile program during the first summit meeting with North Korea scheduled to be held in Pyongyang on June 12-14. Kim made the remarks following a meeting with Japanese Prime Minister Yoshiro Mori on Monday.