[Focus] Background of missile policy statement

The announcement by the government of its new missile policy was a significant first step toward Korea's missile sovereignty.

The statement will have South Korea acquire its own missile capability required for national security, command a substantial deterrence against North Korea and participate in a global missile nonproliferation system by joining the international missile technology control regime.

Thus, the Seoul government has been set free from the shackle of highly limited missile capabilities. In order to clear the way for technology transfer from the United States, South Korea had to sign in 1979 a land-to-land missile agreement with the United States limiting its missile range to 180 kilometers. It was inevitable at that time when Korea was in its infancy in terms of missile development, but it was a great setback to the security of the country.

On the other hand, North Korea has emerged as a missile power by developing Scud-C missiles with a range of 500 kilometers, a 1,300-kilometer Rodong-1 model and the Daepodong-1 missile with an extended range of 2,500 kilometers. The constraint of 180 kilometers imposed on South Korea resulted in a critical disparity in the missile capacity between the two Koreas.

Furthermore, the memoranda on missile that Seoul delivered to Washington in 1990 and 1991 tied the hands of South Korea in developing even civilian rockets; Seoul was obliged to withhold its attempts at peaceful space exploration through the launch of weather satellites or communications satellites. Korea-U.S. talks got under way in 1995 to resolve the impasse, followed by more than 20 meetings that eventually produced the latest accord, which will restore part of the limited missile sovereignty to South Korea.

A 180-kilometer missile allowed under the old regime was unable to reach North Hamgyong Province, where North Korean military facilities are concentrated. To date, the military prowess of American forces stationed here, not the defense preparedness of South Korea, has served as the only bulwark against a possible missile attack from North Korea.

On July 2, 1999, President Kim Dae-Jung, who was visiting Washington, articulated his resolve to acquire South Korea's own deterrent power against North Korea by raising the necessity of developing missiles with a range of up to 500 kilometers. Government officials here described the lengthened range of 300 kilometers to be a basic level to meet domestic security needs. The missile policy pronouncement gave the nation the two main pillars of its North Korea policy -- dialogue and deterrence, they said.