Latest military hardware shown off on Armed Forces Day

Defense

Published: 02 Oct. 2022, 16:50 Updated: 02 Oct. 2022, 17:34

Latest military hardware shown off on Armed Forces Day

President Yoon Suk-yeol observes a military parade at a ceremony marking the 74th Armed Forces Day at the Gyeryongdae military compound in South Chungcheong on Saturday. [JOINT PRESS CORPS]

The South Korean military showed off high-tech weapon systems on Armed Forces Day on Saturday, including the powerful new Hyunmoo ballistic missile meant to counter Pyongyang's nuclear threat.

Earlier that morning, North Korea fired two short-range ballistic missiles into the East Sea, the fourth such test in the past week, on the heels of a South Korea-U.S. naval exercise and a trilateral anti-submarine warfare drill with Japan.

The South Korean Joint Chiefs of Staff (JCS) said North Korea launched the missiles eastward from Sunan in Pyongyang between 6:45 a.m. and 7:03 a.m. Both missiles flew around 350 kilometers at apogees of around 30 kilometers and at top speeds of Mach 6.

It was the first time North Korea launched a missile on South Korea's Armed Forces Day.

Around four hours later, Seoul's Ministry of National Defense held a ceremony marking the 74th Armed Forces Day at the Gyeryongdae military compound in South Chungcheong under the theme of "strong defense, robust military based on science and technology." The ceremony was attended by President Yoon Suk-yeol, Defense Minister Lee Jong-sup and the top military brass.

It was an opportunity for South Korea's military to show state-of-the art weapon systems such as Chunmoo multiple rocket launchers, Army Tactical Missile System (ATACMS) surface-to-surface ballistic missiles and Hyunmoo-II and Hyunmoo-III missiles, a part of the Kill Chain system.

South Korea's thee axis system is comprised of the Kill Chain pre-emptive strike system, which detects and intercepts North Korean missile-launching capabilities before they can be fired; the Korean Air and Missile Defense (KAMD) system, which would destroy incoming missiles mid-air with a mixture of Patriot and Korean medium-range surface-to-air missiles; and the Korea Massive Punishment and Retaliation plan (KMPR), which would target individuals in North Korea's leadership and military command.

Also on display Saturday were surveillance assets such as anti-artillery radar systems and unmanned aerial vehicles, as well as PAC-2 and PAC-3 (Patriot Advanced Capability) interception systems, K2 Black Panther battle tanks, K9 self-propelled howitzers and Korean assault amphibious vehicles (KAAV).

Aerial assets on display included F-35A stealth fighters, F-15K, KF-16 and FA-50 jets, KC-330 tanker transport aircraft, and Apache, Surion and Chinook helicopters.

The military released a video explaining the three-axis system and showed for the first time a clip of the firing of its latest high-power Hyunmoo ballistic missile, described as having "the largest warhead weight."

The name Hyunmoo, refers to a mythical beast described as "Guardian of the Northern Sky." The latest version, a variant of Hyunmoo-4, is a surface-to-surface ballistic missile. Because of its massive size, it is referred to as the "beast" missile and reportedly can carry an estimated 9-ton warhead.

In 2020, South Korea tested a new Hyunmoo-4 short-range ballistic missile that could carry a 2-ton warhead. In comparison, the Hyunmoo-2 ballistic missile could carry a 500-kilogram warhead. In September 2021, a successful test of the Hyunmoo-4 was conducted from an underwater submarine.

In the Defense Ministry's video, the latest Hyunmoo missile was launched using a cold launch system, in which the engine is ignited after it is propelled out of the water using a gas generator. The cold launch method is usually used for submarine-launched ballistic missiles (SLBMs) launched from underwater.

The image of the missile launch platform was not shown in the video, but the Hyunmoo, with the exception of some variants, is usually a surface-to-surface missile and is launched from a transporter erector launcher (TEL). The warhead is wedge-shaped and intended to destroy underground bunkers.

It was the first time the South Korean military released a video showing the launch a missile that may be used as a means of retaliation should North Korea conduct a nuclear weapons attack.

South Korea’s powerful new Hyunmoo ballistic missile, seen to be able to counter Pyongyang’s nuclear weapons, is highlighted in a new video released by the Defense Ministry to mark Armed Forces Day on Saturday. [SCREEN CAPTURE]

President Yoon was spotting giving a thumb's up after viewing South Korea's key military assets on display at the ceremony.

In his first Armed Forces Day address, Yoon warned that North Korea will face an "overwhelming response" from the South Korean and U.S. militaries if it attempts to use its nuclear weapons.

"If North Korea attempts the use of nuclear weapons, it will face the resolute and overwhelming response of the South Korea-U.S. alliance and our military," said Yoon. He stressed that North Korea's development and advancement of nuclear weapons "is a direct challenge" to the international community's Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT).

Yoon also criticized North Korea's recent law allowing the use of pre-emptive nuclear strikes. "By adopting its nuclear arms policy into law, it is threatening the survival and prosperity of the Republic of Korea," he said.

Yoon said South Korea's three-axis system can counter North Korean nuclear and missile threats and "will dramatically strengthen our reconnaissance and strike capabilities."

He promised to integrate the country's pre-emptive strike systems operated separately by South Korea's Army, Navy, and Air Forces through a new strategic command and enhance security capabilities in new areas such as space and cyberspace.

Yoon noted that he and U.S. President Joe Biden further strengthened the bilateral security alliance in a summit in May and through encounters in London and New York last month. This included bolstering Washington's extended deterrence, including the "timely deployment of U.S. strategic assets" and strengthening South Korea-U.S. joint exercises "to realize an 'alliance in action' that strongly responds to North Korean provocations and threats," he said.

"Even now, the North Korean regime must make the decision to denuclearize for true peace and joint prosperity on the Korean Peninsula," said Yoon.

He stressed that "a strong national defense force must be supported to protect the universal values of freedom, human rights and the rule of law."

BY SARAH KIM [kim.sarah@joongang.co.kr]