North Korea's missile launch cost estimated at 100 billion won... wiped out a year's worth of rice prices in one day

US Maryland Institute Researcher: "Missile Launch Cost for One Day on the 2nd About $75 Million"
Equivalent to the Price of Rice North Korea Imported from China for One Year Before COVID-19 Outbreak

[Image source=Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Yang Nak-gyu, Military Specialist Reporter] It has been claimed that the cost of the missiles North Korea launched in one day on the 2nd is similar to the price of one year's worth of rice imported from China.

According to the Joint Chiefs of Staff on the 3rd, North Korea launched about 25 missiles over approximately 10 hours the previous day, including short-range ballistic missiles (SRBM) and surface-to-air missiles.

Regarding this, Bruce Bennett, a senior researcher at the RAND Corporation and a U.S. military expert, was reported by Radio Free Asia (RFA) as saying, "Each missile costs about 2 to 3 million dollars," estimating a total of 50 to 75 million dollars. Bennett added, "It appears North Korea chose the cheaper short-range missiles, which cost about 10 to 15 million dollars less than medium-range missiles."

RFA reported that 70 million dollars is similar to the amount North Korea needs to import goods from China for one month. North Korea's imports from China were 71.54 million dollars in August and 90.07 million dollars in September. Also, 70 million dollars is roughly the scale of North Korea's annual rice imports from China before the outbreak of the novel coronavirus (COVID-19).

The U.S. State Department criticized North Korea for exploiting its citizens to develop weapons.

A spokesperson from the U.S. State Department's press office responded to a Voice of America (VOA) inquiry about North Korea's missile provocations, stating, "North Korea exploits its citizens and diverts resources for its illegal nuclear and ballistic missile programs." The spokesperson added, "North Korea is one of the most repressive authoritarian states in the world. We remain concerned about North Korea's human rights situation, and the United States is committed to placing human rights at the center of its foreign policy."