Since 2012 revision of guidelines, S. Korea has been developing ballistic missile capabilities 

The South Korean military successfully test-launched the Hyeonmu-2B, a ballistic missile with a 500-km range capable of striking anywhere in North Korea, the Ministry of National Defense announced on June 3.

The newly developed missile was test-launched at the Anheung Missile Test Ground in Taean, South Chungcheong Province, with President Park Geun-hye in attendance, the Agency for Defense Development (ADD) said. It was the first test launch of a new ballistic missile since an Oct. 2012 revision of the South Korea-US missile guidelines that increased the maximum range of South Korean missiles from 300 km to 800 km.

Since the revision, South Korea has been capable of developing ballistic missiles with a one-ton warhead weight and 500-km range, or a 500kg warhead weight and 800-km range.

The test-launched missile is now set for deployment to bases with the Army Missile Command by as early as the end of the year.

“This missile is basically capable of striking nuclear or missile bases anywhere in North Korea, so it’s going to be key firepower in our ’kill chain‘ for detecting, tracking, and striking North Korean nuclear and missile bases,” said a military authority on condition of anonymity.

The ADD also conducted its first test launch on June 3 for the Cheolmae-2, an enhanced surface-to-air guided missile that serves as a lower-tier means of interception in the Korean Air and Missile Defense (KAMD) system. The basic model for the Cheolmae-2 is an anti-aircraft missile that strikes aircraft at medium altitudes of 10 to 15 km.

“Once the enhanced Cheolmae-2 has been developed and positioned as a medium-range surface-to-air missile (M-SAM) for missile interception, we’ll have a multi-tier missile defense network where long-range surface-to-air missiles (L-SAM) are used at the higher tier to intercept North Korean missiles, and M-SAMs and Patriots are used at the lower tier,” said a military officer.

　

By Park Byong-su, senior staff writer

　

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