North Korea recently deployed a new type of medium-range ballistic missile capable of reaching northern Australia and the US territory of Guam, South Korea's Defense Ministry said Monday.
The report comes amid speculation that the isolated regime also is preparing to test-fire another, longer-range missile capable of hitting Alaska.
The new intermediate-range ballistic missile can travel at least 1,800 miles, which would put the Pacific island of Guam, the northern tip of Australia and much of Russia and India within striking distance, the ministry said in a report.
It did not offer any other details on the new missile, including exactly when or how many missiles have been deployed and where their launching grounds are located.
The new missile is believed to be the same type displayed at a military parade in North Korea in 2007. The communist nation has been developing the missile since the late 1990s, according to a defense assessment on North Korea issued by the South every two years.
