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Expanding missile range to deter NK

Posted March. 22, 2012 05:49,   

한국어

South Korean President Lee Myung-bak told reporters Wednesday, “Due to North Korea’s (planned) missile test, our 300-kilometer missile range restriction has faced a limit,” adding, “As an adjustment is needed to prevent a North Korean nuclear attack, an answer at the rational level will come out soon.” With these comments, he signaled that the restriction imposed on South Korean ballistic missiles will be lifted. Under guidelines set by Seoul and Washington in 2001, the range of a South Korean ballistic missile is limited to 300 kilometers and its warhead should weigh less than 500 kilograms. This is a late response, however, given that the North has more than 1,000 short- and mid-range missiles that target the entire Korean Peninsula and is close to developing an intercontinental ballistic missile.

Since Pyongyang test-launched the long-range missile Kwangmyongsong-2 in April 2009, Seoul and Washington have unsuccessfully negotiated to extend the former`s missile range. This is because the U.S. opposes the proliferation of missile technology. By contrast, the North has deployed Russian Scud C missiles, which can cover 500 kilometers, that can strike Jeju Island and its long-range Rodong missiles (1,300 kilometers) that can target Japan. The Kwangmyongsong-3 that the North plans to launch next month has a range of 6,700 kilometers.

South Korea has developed the cruise missile Hyeonmoo with a range of 1,500 kilometers, and this is not affected by the range restriction. The speed of this missile is merely one-10th of that of a ballistic missile, however, so it can easily be intercepted. Its destructive power is also insufficient given its light weight. South Korean ballistic missiles with a range of under 300 kilometers cannot strike long-range missile bases in North Korea that are concentrated in the Stalinist country`s border area with China, such as the Musudan-ri missile base and unidentified facilities.

If Pyongyang has the technology to miniaturize nuclear warheads and load biochemical weapons onto missiles, Seoul will lag behind in defense. The de-facto agreement between South Korea and the U.S. to extend the range of South Korean missiles has been made because both countries acknowledge that the North’s missile threat has changed the security environment on the peninsula. The range of a South Korean missile should thus be raised to 700 to 1,000 kilometers.

North Korea, which is preparing to launch a long-range missile while claiming it is a satellite, also warned South Korea that if next week`s Nuclear Security Summit in Seoul issues a statement about the communist country, it will consider this a declaration of war. To stress the strong joint security posture between the U.S. and South Korea, U.S. President Barack Obama will visit the Demilitarized Zone separating the two Koreas as soon as he arrives in Seoul on Sunday. Obama is advised to send a strong signal to the North through the revision of South Korea`s missile range limit.