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Added Teeth
The SLBM isn’t the only weapon that South Korea is adding to its
arsenal. The country is also developing a long-range air-to-surface
missile, which wis intended to be used by the stealthy FK-21 fight-
ers that are now in the prototype stage. Also in various phases of
development are a new ballistic missile that is capable of carrying
a heavier and stronger warhead, and a supersonic cruise missile [ MISSILE DEFENCE ]
that is designed to strike enemy ships. With the restrictions on
range and payload lifted, ROK is expected to develop longer-range
submarine-launched ballistic missiles and to initiate research on
hypersonic weapons.
“WE’VE DEVELOPED A VARIETY OF MISSILES
NECESSARY FOR NATIONAL SECURITY, AND NOW
WE CAN DEVELOP ANY TYPE OF MISSILES AS IF
AN AUTOMOBILE COMPANY WITH A PORTFOLIO
OF COMPACT CARS WOULD BE ABLE TO DEVELOP
BIGGER ONES,” says Nam Se-gyu, a former head of the
South Korean government’s Agency for Defense Development
(ADD).

Aiming to deter North Korea, the agency has developed Hynmoo,
a range of ballistic and cruise missiles, with Hyunmoo-4 being
the newest variant of ballistic missile. The missile, which the state
weapons agency test-fired twice in March 2020 on the west coast
of South Korea, is jointly developed by Hanwha and LIG Nex1 and is
said to be capable of covering most of North Korea from any point
in the South. Designed to destroy specific targets such as hard-
ened underground North Korean command-and-control facilities
during war, the missile is said to have a payload of two tons and
a range of 800 kilometers. ADD is also involved in the research,
development, and production of the Cheongung surface-to-air
missiles, the Haeseong anti-ship missile, and the K-9 Thunder Self-
Propelled Howitzer.

Betting on Defence
Even as it adds to its military strength, South Korea is also investing
significantly in its missile defence capabilities and with good reason.
Just days before it fired the ballistic missiles – the first since U.S.
President Joe Biden took over - North Korea claimed that it had
successfully test-fired two new long-range cruise missiles. With
South Korea continuing to add teeth to its military and the stalled
nuclear talks between Pyongyang and Washington causing con-
cern, the chances of Kim Jong Un fomenting more unrest in the
North Korea’s cavalier attitude when it comes region are high.
to missile tests isn’t new, but there is a differ-
ent feel to the recent flurry of tests and South In August 2019, South Korea’s Ministry of National Defense
Korea’s response, coming as they do after the announced plans to spend US$240 billion to augment its missile
U.S and South Korea agreed to end a 40-year- defense capabilities. A big part of the comprehensive plan involves
old bilateral agreement that not only limited enhancing the country’s low-tier missile network, called the Korea
the range of South Korean missiles to under Air and Missile Defense system (KAMD) by acquiring two more
800 kilometers (500 miles) but also imposed ground-based anti-missile early warning radars and three additional
restrictions on the payload. With South Korea Aegis-equipped destroyers. In April last year, the country’s Defense
ramping up its defence capabilities and slowly Acquisition Program Administration (DAPA) announced that deliv-
becoming less dependent on the U.S. for arms, eries of the Cheongung Korean medium-range surface-to-air
the military equations in the region look set to missile (M-SAM) Block-1 system to the Republic of Korea Air Force
shift further in the coming months. (RoKAF) had been completed. In November, the service received

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