'S. Korea has plan to assassinate Kim Jong-un,' says defense minister

Defense Minister Han Min-koo said there is a special task force ready to assassinate North Korean leader Kim Jong-un in case of attack, during interpellation at South Korea's National Assembly on Wednesday. / Yonhap

By Hong Dam-young

Korea is "considering launching a special forces unit to assassinate North Korean leader Kim Jong-un," Defense Minister Han Min-koo said Wednesday.

He made the comment during a parliamentary meeting in Seoul after Rep. Kim Sung-chan of the ruling Saenuri Party asked him about rumors of the plan.

Han said the unit will "take action" if the North shows clear signs of attacking South Korea. This is part of the "Korea Massive Punishment and Retaliation" plan (KMPR), a military response announced after North Korea's fifth nuclear test on Sept. 9, Han said.

The KMPR targets North Korean leadership, including its military headquarters, with a preemptive strike that includes teams of highly trained commandos and simultaneous missile attacks capable of precision strikes, in case of the North's nuclear attack on the South.

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"If it becomes clear the enemy is moving to attack the South with nuclear missiles, in order to suppress its aims, the concept [of the special forces] is to destroy key figures and areas that include the North Korean leadership," Han told lawmakers.

Meanwhile, KMPR has been described as a part of a "three-axis system" of South Korea's military in response to North Korea's provocations, with Korean Air and Missile Defense (KAMD) ― Seoul's homegrown anti-missile systems ― and Kill Chain, a pre-emptive strike system by the South Korea-U.S. Joint Command.

"The ministry also plans a supplementary budget to bring the three-axis system to completion by 2020," Han said.

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