Did North Korea obtained their missile designs from ex-Soviet Scientists?

Many weapons experts say North Korea’s startling display of missile prowess is a reflection of the country’s growing mastery of weapons technology, as well its leader’s fierce determination to take the country into the nuclear club. But others see continuing evidence of an outsize role by foreigners, including Russian scientists who provided designs and know-how years ago, and the Chinese vendors who supply the electronics needed for modern missile-guidance systems.

Whether outsiders played a decisive role in Tuesday’s firing of an intercontinental ballistic missile is not publicly known. But the evidence from the televised engine test in March is tantalizing, and also disturbing, analysts say. While North Korea is known to have obtained other Soviet missile designs in the past, the new revelations suggest the possibility of a transfer of weapons secrets that has gone undetected until now.

“It would mean that North Korea had a wider procurement network in the former Soviet Union than we had thought,” said Elleman, a missile expert at the International Institute for Strategic Studies who oversaw the dismantling of Soviet-era missiles in Russia and Ukraine two decades ago. “My first question would be, ‘What else have they got?’ ”

www.washingtonpost.com

I wonder what if North Korea also have some of the missing Soviet Nuclear Weapons as well? There are reports from the Russians that they lost some suitcase nuclear weapons and I wouldn't be surprised if some of them were obtained by North Korea in the black market.

a reply to: starwarsisreal

Weird they use Chinese launchers they use Chinese parts and somehow they are a soviet design?? Sounds like someone just want to blame the Russians.

originally posted by: dragonridr
a reply to: starwarsisreal

Weird they use Chinese launchers they use Chinese parts and somehow they are a soviet design?? Sounds like someone just want to blame the Russians.

Chinese launchers ??!!
We are in trouble !

a reply to: dragonridr

I think that's probably at a later time. Most likely, the Chinese scientists were hired during the late 2000s.

a reply to: Trueman

Once air superiority is established, it should rain hell on these chaps.

Clever yes. But you'd have to get in close. By the time you've dug yourself in we would have made you into a nice 500/500 ft Creator.

Home for tea and medals

originally posted by: CaptainBeno
a reply to: Trueman

Once air superiority is established,.....

But, but....Chinese dragons !!

originally posted by: CaptainBeno
a reply to: Trueman

Once air superiority is established, it should rain hell on these chaps.

Clever yes. But you'd have to get in close. By the time you've dug yourself in we would have made you into a nice 500/500 ft Creator.

Home for tea and medals

They let them see the b1's up close sending a big message. And I don't think it was an invitation for a Christmas party.

I would say if they got the tech knowledge and the plans would come from Iran.

Iran and North Korea, are allies, they probably share with each other, combined with parts and some tech stuff from both Russia and China in exchange for a few favors and reassurances on their part.

a reply to: starwarsisreal

Yes

I'd like to get some technical details about what they might be launching. The N in SATAN usually stands for Networking in LEO based military systems. All we hear in the news is that they are carrying a Zombie bomb.

a reply to: starwarsisreal

The Soviet Union is the one who started N. Korea's nuclear weapons program when they built them a couple of nuclear research reactors. They also trained N. Korean scientists in the nuke field. They were producing / refining yellow cake uranium at Yongbyon.

When the USSR collapsed things slowed down for N. Korea however it never stopped their nuke weapons programs. Since then Iran has worked with N. Korea to further each others nuclear weapons programs. China has propped up N. Korea instead of letting them implode, so here we are.

a reply to: Xcathdra

The 1994 KEDO project to build two 1000 megawatt light water reactors in North Korea failed for some reason.
It looked like North Korea genuinely wanted to build reactors just for power generation since they signed the agreement.

KEDO

Maybe KEDO was a designed to fail set up?

a reply to: Cauliflower

The soviet involvement (training N.K. scientists and building their reactors) occurred at the end of the 1950's.

a reply to: Xcathdra

The KEDO project was probably designed to identify the top North Korean technical people that would be brought in to work on the project with the other countries. Maybe we just stole their technicians and ran?

a reply to: Xcathdra

I was under the impression Pakistan had something to do with nth Korea's nuclear program, something about a trade of technology.