Ukraine's defense ministry has released an analysis of North Korean ballistic missiles used in early 2024, concluding that the weapons were built with outdated production methods dating back up to 50 years. The findings, published on Thursday, stem from laboratory studies on debris from solid-fuel KN-23 and KN-24 missiles recovered from Ukrainian territory.
The report highlights several key technical shortcomings. The missiles used less energy-efficient fuel and required engines that were 50% larger than Russian counterparts to achieve the same range. Additionally, the quality of soldering was described as outdated, and the missiles were tipped with graphite, a relatively cheap solution for heat protection during flight.
Ukrainian forensics identified the missiles using South Korean schematics and photographs from North Korean factories, noting seven key similarities. The KN-23, also known as the Hwasong-11A, was first revealed in 2018 and is often compared to Russia's Iskander-M short-range ballistic missile. The KN-24, or Hwasong-11B, debuted in 2019 and shares similarities with the US-made ATACMS tactical ballistic missile.
The analysis suggests that North Korea refined an initial version of the Iskander ballistic missile rather than producing direct analogs. The missiles' control units were found to contain civilian components from leading brands, indicating potential procurement of commercial electronics.
The findings raise questions about the technical capabilities and production standards of North Korea's missile program, particularly in comparison to Russian and US systems.