S. Korea Opposes Joining US Missile Defense System

Defense Minister Kim Jang-soo Thursday expressed his objection to the idea of joining the U.S.-led global missile defense network aimed at intercepting high-altitude ballistic missiles, citing financial problems.

Defense Minister
Kim Jang-soo

By Jung Sung-ki
Staff Reporter

Defense Minister Kim Jang-soo Thursday expressed his objection to the idea of joining the U.S.-led global missile defense network aimed at intercepting high-altitude ballistic missiles, citing financial problems.

``To participate (in the U.S. missile defense shield), we have to purchase state-of-the-art early warning `systems' and missile interceptors that require a big budget,'' Kim told a press briefing at the ministry in Seoul. ``Our military is building a low-altitude missile intercept shield.''

Kim also opposed Seoul's participation in the U.S.-led Proliferation Security Initiative (PSI), aimed at interdicting North Korean ships suspected of carrying material that could be used for weapons of mass destruction (WMDs).

Because of concerns it could lead to clashes with North Korea and spoil its engagement policy toward the communist state, the liberal Roh Moo-hyun government has been hesitant to fully participate in the international ship-searching operations. PSI was initiated in 2003 with the aim of intercepting WMDs from North Korea, Iran and other countries of concern.

South Korea has only observed PSI exercises, which have been participated in by some 70 nations around the world.

Seoul is seeking to build an independent theater missile defense system that can intercept low-flying short- and medium-range missiles from North Korea, according to ministry sources.

The low-tier missile shield, consisting of Patriot Advanced Capability-2 (PAC-2) interceptors and ship-based air defense systems with the tactical Standard Missile-2 (SM-2), is to reach initial operational capability by 2010.

Full operational capability is expected by 2012, when the state-funded Agency for Defense Development plans to complete the development of a semi-indigenous ballistic missile early warning radar built with technological support from foreign countries. That's also when three 7,600-ton KDX-III Aegis-equipped destroyers will be in service.

The terminal-phase missile defense aims to take down targets about 40 kilometers north of Seoul, Gen. Kim Kwan-jin, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, told the National Assembly last October.

The Defense Acquisition Program Administration approved the $1 billion SAM-X project last September to purchase 48 second-hand PAC-2 launch modules, radar equipment and Patriot missiles from Germany beginning this year.

The agency plans to buy ground-control equipment from Raytheon of the United States to support two Patriot system battalions. A battalion is usually made up of three battery units, each of which carries eight missile launchers and a command center.

Seoul also plans to buy more than 200 ship-to-air SM-2 Block IIIA/B missiles developed by Raytheon to equip the country's high-tech destroyers.

But many defense experts are raising questions about the effectiveness of the plan, dubbed the Korea air and missile defense (KAMD) network system.

``Theoretically, a low-altitude missile shield would be a good solution to the North's short- and intermediate-range missiles,'' said Park Chang-kwon, chief of the Center for Security and Strategy at the state-funded Korea Institute for Defense Analyses (KIDA). ``But in reality, it would not be so easy for the missile shield to repel huge amounts of incoming missile from North Korea, particularly fast-flying ballistic missiles, given the close proximity of South and North Korea.''

The North is believed to have deployed more than 600 Scud missiles with a range of 320-500 kilometers and 200 Rodong missiles with a range of 1,300 kilometers, capable of striking Japan, near the Demilitarized Zone that divides the two Koreas.

North Korea's short-range missiles pose a grave threat to South Korea and U.S. troops in the South, missile experts say, because they could reach South Korean territory within about six minutes.

Another KIDA researcher said KAMD's capabilities would not likely be so effective given both PAC-2s and SM-2 missiles are not the right system to intercept ballistic missiles with high accuracy. He called for introducing more advanced PAC-3s and SM-3 missiles.

The PAC-3 missile is a smaller, highly efficient missile designed to directly strike incoming targets while the PAC-2 uses an explosive warhead.

Rep. Hwang Jin-ha of the main opposition Grand National Party said joining or developing the ballistic missile defense (BMD) system is necessary not only to deter incoming missiles from the North, but to protect the country's ``strategic assets'' such as communications systems, airliners and satellites, referring to China's successful anti-satellite test last year.

Hwang also stressed the benefits of participating in the BMD scheme, saying Seoul will be able to reap technological benefits from its closest ally, Washington, in developing the most advanced missile defense technology.

gallantjung@koreatimes.co.kr