MOSCOW, March 27. /TASS/. The KN-25 multiple launch rocket system, developed by North Korea, has blurred the line between multiple launch rockets and precision ballistic missiles, Alexander Zhebin, PhD in political science, a leading researcher at the Center for Korean Studies at the Institute of China and Contemporary Asia of the Russian Academy of Sciences, said in an interview with TASS.

"Following the demonstration of an 8,700-ton nuclear-powered ballistic missile submarine, new destroyers, and the launch of hypersonic missiles at a range of 1,000 kilometers, Pyongyang tested an upgraded version of the KN-25 MLRS. This system’s caliber — 600 mm — exceeds all Chinese, Russian, and American counterparts, making it the most powerful MLRS system in the world and effectively blurring the line between multiple rocket launches and high-precision ballistic missiles," he said.

Zhebin emphasized that the system’s range — 358 km — allows it to strike both Seoul and many key US targets in the Asia-Pacific region. "Although the Western press has long claimed that North Korea is technologically backward, it is clear that the country’s military-industrial sector has proven its worth and can produce a wide range of missiles, including intercontinental ballistic missiles launched from rail platforms and submarines," he added.

In May 2025, it was reported that North Korea might begin serial production of the KN-25 MLRS system in two configurations. The first is tracked and carries six missiles. The second is a wheeled, road-mobile missile system carrying up to four missiles and featuring high mobility. According to the Army Recognition portal, the quasi-ballistic flight path and high speed of the KN-25 MLRS missiles make them difficult to intercept and pose a serious challenge to air and missile defense systems such as the American Patriot or THAAD, deployed in South Korea.