By Kang Seung-woo
South Korea is seeking high-altitude, long-range missiles to counter North Korean threats, the defense ministry said Tuesday.
Despite not specifying which system to adopt, Lockheed Martin's Terminal High Altitude Area Defense (THAAD) is seen as the most likely option. THAAD is designed to shoot down short- and medium-range and intermediate ballistic missiles in their terminal phase, using a hit-to-kill method.
Currently, South Korea is building an independent, low-tier missile shield called the Korea Air and Missile Defense System (KAMDS) with a plan to upgrade PAC-2 missiles to PAC-3 despite U.S. pressure to join its Ballistic Missile Defense System, aimed at intercepting intercontinental ballistic missiles.
"Our military is establishing the low-tier terminal-phase KAMDS considering the range of North Korea's incoming ballistic missiles," Ministry of National Defense spokesman Kim Min-seok said in a briefing.
"Our military is also looking into various measures to bolster the terminal phase, low-altitude defense to effectively counter North Korea's nuclear and missile threats."
But he did not confirm whether South Korea is seeking to purchase THAAD.
However, a military official said that the Air Force will shortly require the Joint Chiefs of Staff to purchase missiles equivalent to THAAD in terms of capability, according to Yonhap News.
In addition, Orville Prins, the vice president of business development for air and missile defense at Lockheed Martin, told Yonhap last month that "South Korea's procurement agency and Air Force officials showed interest in long-range surface-to-air systems during their visit to the U.S. in April and that discussions are currently under way on whether to acquire THAAD or develop an indigenous program that fits the role."
Instead of joining the U.S.-led missile defense, Korea has been consistently sticking with KAMDS because China, its No.1 trade partner, has objected strongly to the U.S. system, describing it as a means to encircle the country militarily.
However, growing skepticism over PAC-3 capability to thwart Pyongyang's ballistic missiles, which might be tipped with chemical or nuclear warheads, appears to have resulted it in considering other options.
"As PAC-3 is able to fly up to 30 kilometers, it must intercept a missile at one go and there might be collateral damage if a missile tipped with chemical or nuclear warheads is intercepted," the military official said.
"However, the THAAD system has a range of 150 kilometers, so there will be two opportunities to shoot targets down because PAC-3 and THAAD are interoperable and support each other in layered defense."
However, possible THAAD procurement might put South Korea in a dilemma because it is also a core part of the U.S.-led missile defense.
"Buying THAAD may be seen as Korea joining the U.S. missile defense system," said Yang Uk, a senior research fellow at the Korea Defense and Security Forum.
South Korea is seeking high-altitude, long-range missiles to counter North Korean threats, the defense ministry said Tuesday.
Despite not specifying which system to adopt, Lockheed Martin's Terminal High Altitude Area Defense (THAAD) is seen as the most likely option. THAAD is designed to shoot down short- and medium-range and intermediate ballistic missiles in their terminal phase, using a hit-to-kill method.
Currently, South Korea is building an independent, low-tier missile shield called the Korea Air and Missile Defense System (KAMDS) with a plan to upgrade PAC-2 missiles to PAC-3 despite U.S. pressure to join its Ballistic Missile Defense System, aimed at intercepting intercontinental ballistic missiles.
"Our military is establishing the low-tier terminal-phase KAMDS considering the range of North Korea's incoming ballistic missiles," Ministry of National Defense spokesman Kim Min-seok said in a briefing.
"Our military is also looking into various measures to bolster the terminal phase, low-altitude defense to effectively counter North Korea's nuclear and missile threats."
But he did not confirm whether South Korea is seeking to purchase THAAD.
However, a military official said that the Air Force will shortly require the Joint Chiefs of Staff to purchase missiles equivalent to THAAD in terms of capability, according to Yonhap News.
In addition, Orville Prins, the vice president of business development for air and missile defense at Lockheed Martin, told Yonhap last month that "South Korea's procurement agency and Air Force officials showed interest in long-range surface-to-air systems during their visit to the U.S. in April and that discussions are currently under way on whether to acquire THAAD or develop an indigenous program that fits the role."
Instead of joining the U.S.-led missile defense, Korea has been consistently sticking with KAMDS because China, its No.1 trade partner, has objected strongly to the U.S. system, describing it as a means to encircle the country militarily.
However, growing skepticism over PAC-3 capability to thwart Pyongyang's ballistic missiles, which might be tipped with chemical or nuclear warheads, appears to have resulted it in considering other options.
"As PAC-3 is able to fly up to 30 kilometers, it must intercept a missile at one go and there might be collateral damage if a missile tipped with chemical or nuclear warheads is intercepted," the military official said.
"However, the THAAD system has a range of 150 kilometers, so there will be two opportunities to shoot targets down because PAC-3 and THAAD are interoperable and support each other in layered defense."
However, possible THAAD procurement might put South Korea in a dilemma because it is also a core part of the U.S.-led missile defense.
"Buying THAAD may be seen as Korea joining the U.S. missile defense system," said Yang Uk, a senior research fellow at the Korea Defense and Security Forum.
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