[chasd00]

The artillery aimed at Seoul was equivalent to nuclear deterrence. Before North Korea had a nuclear bomb it was widely known that any military action against it meant the complete destruction of Seoul. The artillery in place, armed, and staffed was basically equivalent to having nukes so neither the US nor anyone else could stop them from pursuing nuclear weapons.

[snypher]

They still needed a second strike option. Since the MIRV arrived the possibility of the whole artillery being destroyed was getting greater.