Air Force to provide NK weather information

By Jun Ji-hye

The Air Force said Monday that it will provide information on weather conditions in North Korea for military purposes to better prepare against missile threats from the reclusive nation.

The Air Force Weather Wing established a specialized forecast system using radar and satellite on July 1 to monitor meteorological changes in the North. Then, it produces highly accurate information by analyzing the data with a super computer, the Air Force said.

Until now, Korea has relied on the information from the World Meteorological Organization (WMO). But, according to the Air Force, this information was limited, and forecasts were impossible when Pyongyang refused to send the organization its meteorological data.

"The Weather Wing began forecasting weather changes in North Korea because of the demands of military operations,” the Air Force said in a release.

“The information will be useful in evaluating the possibility of a missile launch by the North.”

The Air Force noted that weather information carries extra significance because the military now uses highly advanced weapons, adding that the Army and Navy also could make good use of such information.

The wing is also planning to set up a system by 2020 to observe and forecast weather in space.

“Advanced research is ongoing for this 8 billion won project,” the Air Force said.

The wing, the only weather-specialized unit of the military, announced its plans during an event to celebrate the 65th anniversary of its foundation.

The wing was established in July 27, 1950, in the heat of the Korean War.

Its weather forecast mission includes observation, analysis, production and distribution. The information is utilized in such military operations as artillery operations, biological and chemical operations, and naval gunfire operations.

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