SEOUL, January 18 (AJP) - South Korea has begun deploying the Hyunmoo-5, a high-power ballistic missile capable of penetrating deep underground bunkers, to operational units, military sources said Sunday.
The weapon, dubbed the "monster missile" for its massive eight-ton warhead, is a centerpiece of Seoul's strategy to neutralize the North Korean leadership in the event of a conflict. According to sources, the rollout to field units began late last year and is scheduled for completion within the term of the Lee Jae-myung administration.
The Hyunmoo-5 serves as the core asset for the Korea Massive Punishment and Retaliation (KMPR) plan. This strategy forms one pillar of the nation's "three-axis" defense system, which also includes the "Kill Chain" preemptive strike platform and the Korea Air and Missile Defense (KAMD) system.
While the Hyunmoo-5 is now entering service, military authorities are already advancing classified programs for next-generation surface-to-surface missiles. Often referred to unofficially as "Hyunmoo-6" or "Hyunmoo-7," these future systems aim to extend range and enhance warhead penetration capabilities beyond the current arsenal.
Defense Minister Ahn Gyu-back, speaking in an interview last October, outlined the strategic logic behind massing such heavy conventional firepower.
"We will improve performance in areas such as destructive power and accuracy for high-power missiles like the Hyunmoo-5 and next-generation models," Ahn said. "By securing a sufficient quantity necessary for an overwhelming response, we will realize a 'balance of terror' commensurate with North Korea's nuclear threat."
Ahn noted that the sheer kinetic energy of these weapons allows them to serve as a conventional deterrent against nuclear arms.
"Missile experts judge that if approximately 15 to 20 high-power missiles impact a target, they exert destructive power exceeding that of a nuclear weapon," Ahn said. "The Hyunmoo-5 is capable of achieving a balance of terror comparable to nuclear weapons."
The military reportedly plans to stockpile hundreds of these high-yield missiles to solidify its retaliatory capabilities against Pyongyang's nuclear arsenal.
reporter
Park Sae-jin
swatchsjp@ajunews.com
Copyright ⓒ Aju Press All rights reserved.
