On November 16, North Korean state media announced the test of a new “ultramodern tactical weapon,” which would provide the country with a “steel wall” of defense. According to an anonymous military source in Seoul, the new weapon is most likely a type of long-range artillery. The source also added that the weapon had begun development in the Kim Jong-il era in efforts to modernize North Korea’s military capabilities. However, there is still speculation as to whether this weapon is a multiple-launch artillery rocket system (MLRS) or a short-range missile.