‘Strengthening each other’ with missiles on the Korean peninsula

North Korean leader Kim Jong Un (left) and South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol – Photo: BBC

Ability show

On June 5, the South Korean military discovered that North Korea fired 8 rocket short range within 35 minutes from at least 4 different locations. This appears to be Pyongyang’s record for a single day of missile tests.

A day later, South Korea and the United States also launched eight surface-to-surface missiles in response to North Korea’s move.

“North Korea’s nuclear weapons and missile programs have developed to the point where they pose a threat not only to the Korean peninsula, but also to Northeast Asia and world peace,” Moon said. Yoon Suk Yeol said on June 6. He said Seoul would “severely respond to any form of provocation by North Korea”.

According to AP news agency, Pyongyang has a series of missiles that are said to be able to hit anywhere in the US mainland. Among them is the newest missile, the Hwasong-17, which is said to be the longest-range weapon and whose size has astounded even seasoned analysts.

During the test-fire of the Hwasong-17 in March this year, the Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) quoted leader Kim Jong Un as saying that the new weapon will make “the whole world clearly aware” of the forces North Korea’s fortified nuclear arsenal.

South Korea and its ally, the United States, also want North Korea to be “clearly aware” of its capabilities. Seoul is promoting the development of a self-developed defense system, instead of relying on the US system as before.

The latest achievement of the South Korean military is the successful test firing of a new high-altitude air defense system on February 23. This is a long-range surface-to-air missile L-SAM developed by this country.

L-SAM, manufactured by Korea’s Hanwha Corporation and South Korea’s LIG Nex 1 defense company, is expected to replace the US THAAD anti-aircraft missile system.

South Korea has also spent years developing several other systems including the KM-SAM, or Cheolmae-2, built using technology borrowed from Russian weapons manufacturers Almaz-Antey and Fakel ; $2.6 billion low-altitude missile defense (LAMD) system, similar to Israel’s Iron Dome system.

These weapons are intended to form a layer of defense against North Korea-equipped ballistic missile systems and rocket artillery.

Arms race

Youngshik Bong, a research fellow at Yonsei University’s Institute of North Korean Studies in Seoul, said Washington’s and Seoul’s reactions had been “completely different” from the silence seen under former South Korean president Moon Jae Print.

Moon Jae-in’s administration tries to limit US military involvement and stay away from major military exercises with the US in order to promote dialogue with North Korea.

The administration of the new President Yoon Suk Yeol has taken a tougher stance, when it wants to strengthen the deterrence ability of the US-ROK alliance.

In the past, cooperation between the US and South Korea in the deployment of missile defense systems has angered China. If President Yoon abandons the policy of balance and turns to the US, this will increase tensions in East Asia.

South Korea has been developing its own missiles and nuclear submarines since the time of Moon Jae In. Meanwhile, despite sanctions and COVID-19, North Korea continues to develop more weapons. The shadow of an arms race on the Korean peninsula is gradually appearing.