South Korea to develop countermeasure capabilities to counter North Korea's ballistic missiles 30506155

Defence & Security News - South Korea
 
South Korea to develop countermeasure capabilities to counter North Korea's ballistic missiles
The South Korean Ministry of National Defense said Friday, June 5, it is working to devise effective countermeasures to counter North Korea's ballistic missiles launched from submarines. Last month, North Korea claimed that it successfully carried out an underwater test of a submarine-launched ballistic missile (SLBM). It has been a source of concern as its mobile and stealth nature would make it difficult to be detected.
     
South Korea to develop countermeasure capabilities to counter North Korea's ballistic missiles EL/M-2080 Green Pine Air search Radar System (Photo: IAI)
     
"We continue to assess its capabilities regarding the SLBM, and we expect the North to take some four to five years before the full deployment," Korean Defense Ministry spokesman Kim Min-seok told Yonhap news agency reporters.
 
"We now have countermeasures against them, and will make them perfect before the North puts them in service," he said, refusing to elaborate further.
 
In the face of evolving nuclear and missile threats from Pyongyang, South Korea is working on building the pre-emptive strike apparatus of the Kill Chain, and the low-tier air defense program, the Korean Air and Missile Defense system. South Korea conducted its first-ever test launch of a ballistic missile on Wednesday, June 3, as part of its efforts to better counter North Korea’s growing nuclear and missile threats. The newly developed missile has a range of more than 500 kilometers and thus is capable of striking nearly all parts of the neighbor.The Korean Agency for Defense Development also test fired an upgraded surface-to-air missile named Cheolmae II, or M-SAM, which is capable of intercepting an incoming target at an altitude of 15 kilometers or higher.
 
The military here is also known to have considered purchasing another ground-based missile-defense system, known as Green Pine radar, for a more effective defense against SLBMs. In 2009, South Korea ordered two Israeli-made EL/M-2080 Green Pine Air search radar for use with Patriot SAM systems.