South Korea To “Drastically” Increase Missile Capabilities
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South Korea’s defence ministry plans to spend up to 2.5 trillion won ($2.1 billion) over the next five years in order to purchase 500-600 new cruise and ballistic missiles that will supplement the nation’s defence against the neighbouring North Korean military, said a report by the Yonhap News Agency on Tuesday.
South Korea’s defence ministry plans to spend up to 2.5 trillion won ($2.1 billion) over the next five years in order to purchase 500-600 new cruise and ballistic missiles that will supplement the nation’s defence against the neighbouring North Korean military, said a report by the Yonhap News Agency on Tuesday.
According to a government source, who spoke on condition of anonymity, the Ministry of National Defence had made a budget request to President Lee Myung-bak on April 28, and were looking to “drastically strengthen its missile arsenal” in the face of continued provocation from its neighbours.
[quote]”Given the mounting threat of provocations from the North since Kim Jong-un took power, the Defense Ministry reported to President Lee Myung-bak last month a plan to increase missile capabilities in response to asymmetric threats from the North,” said the official.[/quote]The ministry “needs 2.5 trillion won in its budget over the next five years” to bolster its missile capability, said the official, including long-range cruise missiles and the locally-produced GPS-Guided Bomb.
Among the new missiles to be acquired will be the Hyunmu-3 series cruise missiles, which have a range of between 500 and 1500 km, and the Hyunmu-2 ballistic missiles, which have a 300 km range. Both were unveiled last month and are said to be capable of incapacitating any nuclear weapon facility. Additionally, the Hyunmu-2 ballistic missile is believed to be even “more powerful than” the MGM-140 Army Tactical Missile System developed by the United States.
On April 13, North Korea ignored international and launched a long-range rocket, which fell apart shortly after take-off. There have growing concerns that the North may soon conduct another nuclear test after its two previous rocket launches in 2006 and 2009 were followed by nuclear tests.
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As a result, high-level diplomats from South Korea, the U.S. and Japan gathered in Seoul on Monday to warn North Korea of the risks of another nuclear test.
“It would be a serious miscalculation and mistake if North Korea worked to engage in a nuclear test,” said Glyn Davies, the U.S. special envoy for North Korean policy.
[quote]”If there is a further provocation such as a nuclear test, there will be swift and sure reaction by the international community.”[/quote]
