Year Developed: 1993(est.) Range: 1,000 ~ 1,300km Warheads: 500kg TNT, biological/chemical/nuclear(est.) weapons The ‘Rodong 1’, also known as ‘Scud-D’, was developed through an overall redesign and revamping of the Scud missile series. The name ‘Rodong’ was not officially given by the DPRK, but is a nickname of sorts used by the international community due to the fact that the missile was test-launched in the ‘Rodong’ village of South Hamgyung Province’s Hamju region. Its development is believed to have started at the same time as the Scud-C, and its existence was first confirmed through a U.S. satellite photo of the missile mounted on a launch pad in 1990 (though some claim that the correct date is 1989). It was test-launched successfully in May of 1993, when the missile landed in the East Sea after traveling a distance of 500km. Mass production of the ‘Rodong 1` is believed to have started in 1994, and it seems to have been placed in active service shortly thereafter. The DPRK’s missile program became an international issue because of the development of the ‘Rodong 1’. This is because its 1,000km range enables it to hit Tokyo, Japan as well as Taipei, Taiwan. The missile suffers from low accuracy, with a margin of error of about 2~4 km at maximum range. Its propulsion is believed to consist of four Scud rocket engines or additional combustion chambers, and its appearance is said to resemble those of the former USSR’s SS-N-4/R-13 or SS-N-5/R-21 SLBMs (Submarine Launched Ballistic Missile). It can be equipped with TNT as well as biological/chemical warheads. It is presumed that the DPRK received assistance in developing the ‘Rodong 1’ from scientists with the USSR’s Makayev SLBM program who designed the Scud missile.