S.Korea Simulates Shooting Down N.Korean Scud Missile

South Korea has conducted a successful simulation of shooting down a North Korean Scud missile in mid-flight.

The military has developed a mid-range surface-to-air missile that can intercept an incoming North Korean missile 40 km above the ground, and the first test in January by the Agency for Defense Development was a success, a military source said Thursday.

The homegrown interceptor missile "accurately intercepted the incoming missile, which was heading to its target at supersonic speed," the source added.

North Korea is racing to develop a nuclear warhead small enough to be mounted on a Scud missile. The source said seven more tests are needed to achieve an 80-percent interception rate, "but it's clear is that we've made progress in developing a mid-range interceptor missile which so far only China, Israel, Russia and the U.S. possess."

Seoul hopes to deploy the finished article in 2020.

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