South Korea intends to significantly improve its conventional deterrence capabilities by launching its powerful Hyunmoo-5 ballistic missile by the end of this year.
Often referred to as the “Monster Missile,” it represents Seoul’s resolve to strengthen its defenses against growing regional threats, especially those from North Korea.
About the Hyunmoo-5 Missile
The state-of-the-art ballistic missile system, the Hyunmoo-5, was developed internally by the South Korean Defense Development Agency.
Because it is designed for deep-penetration precision shots, it may eliminate command centers and highly defended underground targets.
The missile is a key part of South Korea’s Korean Massive Punishment and Retaliation (KMPR) strategy, which deters aggression by using powerful conventional retaliation instead of nuclear weapons.
Key Features
- With a weight of around 36 tons, it is among the largest conventional missiles in Asia.
- The warhead may carry a conventional payload of up to 8 tons.
- Range: 600 to 5,000 kilometers, depending on the configuration.
- Speed: It can go close to Mach 10 when descending.
- Strike capability is the capacity to destroy bunkers that are more than 100 meters underground.
- Launch Flexibility: It may be deployed from mobile platforms for speedy deployment.
Strategic Significance
South Korea’s shift from nuclear weapons to precision-based deterrence, which makes use of state-of-the-art conventional weapons, is highlighted in the Hyunmoo-5.
It enhances regional stability by ensuring credible defense readiness and strengthening Seoul’s strategic independence.
The missile also represents the growing significance of independence and technology in national security frameworks for the Indo-Pacific region as a whole.
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About the Author: Jyoti Verma
