The Pakistan -DPRK(Democratic Peoples Republic of Korea) missile relationship dates to the late 1980s. In December 1988, Benazir Bhutto became prime minister of Pakistan and threw her full support behind the acquisition of PRC (Peoples Republic of China) ballistic missile and expanded Pakistan-DPRK missile and nuclear cooperation. One example of this was the Pakistani visit to the 125 Factory in P'yongyang ( and possibly the Sanumdong military research and development facility) to examine the No-dong. This visit may have been related to the June 1992 failed, or cancelled, No-dong test. The following month, DPRK Deputy Premier Foreign Minister Kim Yong-nam traveled to Syria (July 27-30). Iran (July 30-August 3), and Pakistan (August 4-7) to discuss a number of issues, including missile cooperation and DPRK sales of Hwasong 6 and possibly No-dong missiles. Pakistani and Iranian specialists are believed to have been present for the DPRK's May 29-30, 1993 tests.
In December 1993, two months after she was re-elected as prime minister, Benazir Bhutto traveled to the PRC and DPRK. Although she publicly denied it, subsequent events indicate that she was seeking, among other items, increased cooperation in ballistic missile development and, in particular, a system capable of striking strategic Indian targets. Shortly afterwards, Pakistan established a ballistic missile project to purchase and manufacture the No-dong missile- known in Pakistan as the Ghauri (Hatf V).
With the agreement on a missile project came accelerated Pakistan-DPRK political, scientific, and missile cooperation. In April 1994, a DPRK Foreign Ministry delegation headed by Pak Chung-kuk traveled to Iran and Pakistan. In September of the same year, another delegation led by Choe Hui-chong, chairman of the state Commission of Science and Technology, traveled to Pakistan. In late November 1995, a DPRK military delegation led by Marshal Choe Kwang( vice-chairman of the National Defense Commission and minister of the people's armed Forces) traveled to Pakistan. There he met with Pakistani President Sardar Leghari, Defense Minister Aftab Shaban Mirani, the chairman of the Joint Chief of Staff, Chief of Naval Operations, Commander of the Air Force, and various other military officials. Choe is also believed
to have visited the missile related production facilities in the Faisalabad-Lahore area and possibly even Jhelum ( the area from which Ghauri was subsequently launched). Choe is believed to have finalized an agreement to provide Pakistan with key components from either the No-dong or Taep'o-dong programs, about 12 to 25 No-dong missiles, and at least one TEL( Transporter-Erector-Launcher) or MEL(Mobile Erector Launcher).
The agreed items were produced by the Fourth Machine Industry Burea of the second Economic Committee and a majority are believed to have been delivered to the Khan Research Laboratories at Kahuta in the spring of 1996 by the Changgwang Sinyong Corporation. On April 24,1998, the US State Department imposed sanctions against both the Khan Research Laboratories and Changgwang Sinyong Corporation. The Changgwang Sinyong Corporation was the same organization responsible for supplying Iran with DPRK missiles during the mid 1990s. Changgwang and the Iranian Ministry of Defense Armed Forces Logistics and State Purchasing Office were subsequently placed under US State Department sanction in June 1996.
On April 6, 1998, Pakistan conducted its first test of the Ghauri, which it claimed had a range of 1500Km. While Pakistan has stated publicly that the missile was designed and produced indigenous it was, in fact, a DPRK produced No-dong Launched from a MEL. This was the second test of a No-dong. On April 14,1999 ; Pakistan tested what it called the Ghauri 2; which it claimed had a range of 2000 Km; again it was a DPRK produced No-dong. making this Pakistani launch the fourth test of this DPRK missile system.
Since the flight test of the Ghauri and Ghauri 2, there have been numerous Pakistani statements indicating that it has now developed three more-capable ballistic missiles - the Ghaznavi, Abdali, and Shaheen.
Pakistan's Shaheen III
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