A South Korean official told NHK two new two-stage missiles, "similar" to the midrange ballistic missile Musudan, is being deployed north of Pyongyang. File Photo by KCNA

North Korea placed two new intercontinental ballistic missiles into position in an area north of Pyongyang, a Japanese television network reported.

NHK reported Sunday two ICBMs that may be equipped with newly developed engines might have been deployed ahead of U.S. President Donald Trump's inauguration Friday.


A South Korean military official who spoke on the condition of anonymity told NHK the two missiles can be "launched at any time."

Last week, Yonhap reported two new road-mobile ICBMs were recently captured by South Korea military intelligence.

The new road-mobile ICBMs appear to be shorter than Pyongyang's other versions, including the 19-20 meters in length KN-08 and the 17-18-meter-long KN-14, officials had told the South Korean news agency.

According to NHK, the South Korean official said the "two-stage missile is similar to the medium-range ballistic missile Musudan. The first stage of the missile is different from the Musudan, and may be equipped with a newly developed engine."

China, which shares an 880-mile border with North Korea, is wary of Pyongyang's provocations and has warned its neighbor about weapons development.

The Information Center for Human Rights and Democracy, a nongovernmental organization in Hong Kong, said Sunday China has installed a new radar at a missile base in Shenyang, Liaoning Province, in northeastern China.

The center quoted data on movements, provided by Chinese missile analysts, that states the People's Liberation Army Rocket Force has deployed high-performance radar at missile base 51 in Sujiatun, in order to closely monitor the movements of North Korea's ICBMs.

The analysts pointed out the radar at the Shenyang base will be able to easily monitor and track a North Korea launch of an ICBM.

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The PLARF is a Chinese tactical missile force of about 110,000 troops, with headquarters for operations located at Qinghe, Beijing. PLARF oversees subordinate missile bases in Shenyang, Qimen, Luoyang, Kunming, Baoji, Huaihua and Xining.