This article was originally posted on Jayu News and translated by OKN Correspondent.
Minister of National Defense Seo Wook issued a warning to North Korea by hosting the ceremony marking the reinforcement of the Army Missile Strategic Command and the Air Force Missile Defense Command, which are considered the two pillars of South Korea’s missile operation.
According to the Ministry of National Defense, Seo said at a ceremony on the reinforcement of the Missile Strategic Command, “The military currently has a large number of missiles with significantly improved range, accuracy, and power, and it can accurately and swiftly strike any targets in North Korea.”
Minister Seo stressed, “If signs of a missile launch are especially clear, it has the ability and posture to precisely strike at the origin of the launch as well as command and support facilities.”
If there are signs of a missile strike, the origin precision strike policy is part of the “strategic strike system” that forms the military’s “weapons of mass destruction (WMD) response system” to cope with North Korea’s nuclear weapons and missile threats.
The strategic strike system encompasses the “kill chain” system and the Korea Massive Punishment & Retaliation (KMPR) system of previous conservative administrations, which is unusual for the current defense minister to publicly mention it during this [Moon Jae-in] administration.
It is to be believed that this is a warning to North Korea at a time when highly intense provocations such as North Korea test-launching an intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) and continuing to test nuclear weapons.
In addition, it is being interpreted that President-elect Yoon Seok-youl will be reviving the three-axis system (kill chain-missile defense-KMPR) promoted during the Lee Myung-bak and Park Geun-hye administrations, signaling the military’s hardline toward North Korea.
While as the presidential candidate, Yoon said, “We will secure a preemptive strike capability called the kill chain.”
Regarding the reinforcement of the Missile Strategic Command, Minister Seo said, “It is of great significance in establishing a leading and active response to all-round security threats, including North Korea’s increasing nuclear and missile threats,” adding that “we will be able to exert stronger deterrence against North Korea.”
He also said, “We will continue to develop various ballistic missiles with long-range, ultra-precision, and high-power that can overpower the enemy.”
Before this, Minister Seo said in the Missile Defense Command reinforcement ceremony, “It will be a turning point to strengthen our military’s ability to monitor and defend against the various cutting edge and advanced missile threats from air and space.”
Also, referring to the improvement of the Patriot missile performance, the introduction of additional ballistic missile early warning radar, and the integration of the KM-SAM (Cheongung) Block 2, he said, “We will further develop an advanced multi-layer missile defense system that North Korea does not possess.”
Seo’s remarks in the wake of the reinforcement of the two commands seem to be aimed at quelling public anxiety caused by North Korea’s series of provocations and showing off the South’s superiority over North Korea’s military power.
The massive reinforcement of the Army Missile Strategic Command and the Air Force Missile Defense Command came after the revised unit order was approved by President Moon Jae-in on the same day.
Analysts say that the military’s willingness to respond to North Korea’s missile capabilities through reinforcement and power enhancement accordingly changes the existing titles of the Army Missile Strategic Command and the Air Force Missile Defense Command.
Minister Seo said, “We will actively support to overwhelmingly respond to the changing missile threats from North Korea,” and he called for both commands, “Please cooperate closely with each other and maintain and firm readiness to respond immediately to any missile threats from the enemy.”
To read the original article in Korean, please click here.
