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| Image released by the South Korean Defense Ministry, South Korean Air Force F-35 fighter jets and U.S. Air Force F-16 fighter jets fly over South Korea during the joint air drills in response to North Korea's intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) launch on Friday on Nov. 18, at an undisclosed location in South Korea. UPI-Yonhap |
South Korea aims to raise defense spending by an annual average of 6.8 percent over the next five years, with a focus on securing "overwhelming" capabilities to counter North Korea's evolving nuclear and missile threats, according to the defense ministry Wednesday.
The ministry announced the first mid-term defense blueprint under the conservative Yoon Suk-yeol administration launched in May, amid tensions caused by the North's missile launches last week and this week's drone infiltrations across the inter-Korean border.
The blueprint for the 2023-2027 period features various defense reinforcement schemes, including securing more midsize submarines equipped with ballistic missiles, additional stealth fighters and advanced tactical surface-to-surface missiles.
The ministry hopes to spend 331.4 trillion won ($261 billion) during the five-year period ― 107.4 trillion won for improving defense capabilities and 224 trillion won for managing troops, equipment and facilities.
It aims to increase the country's defense budget, which stood at 54.6 trillion won this year, to 57.1 trillion won for next year, 61.4 trillion won for 2024, 66 trillion won for 2025, 70.9 trillion won for 2026 and 76 trillion won for 2027.
During the period, the average annual increase rate amounts to 6.8 percent. A defense spending plan is subject to parliamentary approval.
From next year through 2027, the ministry hopes to increase the annual budget for strengthening defense capabilities by an average of 10.5 percent and that for force management by an average of 5.1 percent.
The blueprint contains a series of schemes designed to secure "overwhelming" "three-axis" deterrence capabilities, which consist of the Korea Massive Punishment and Retaliation, an operational plan to incapacitate the North Korean leadership in a major conflict; the Kill Chain pre-emptive strike platform; and the Korea Air and Missile Defense system.
The schemes include procuring additional stealth jets to bolster "real-time" strike capabilities against moving targets, and deploying tactical surface-to-surface missiles to enhance capabilities to destroy hostile tunnel targets.
The ministry also plans to secure additional midsize submarines equipped with ballistic missiles to enhance "surprise" strike capabilities as well as "non-kinetic" means, such as "blackout" bombs.
In an effort to build a "multilayered" missile defense system, the ministry plans to run ballistic missile early warning radars and radar systems on 8,000-ton Aegis destroyers to strengthen "all-directional" detection capabilities.
The ministry also seeks to complete the rollout of Cheongung-II medium-range surface-to-air missiles and deploy some advanced long-range surface-to-air missile (L-SAM) interceptors.
Moreover, it plans to secure core technologies ― required for the development of the counter-rocket system, called the low altitude missile defense (LAMD) ― by 2026.
On the force structure, the ministry plans to keep the number of active-duty military personnel at the current level of 500,000. The figure, which stood at 618,000 in early 2018, dipped to 500,000 this year due to a decline in personnel resources caused largely by the country's low birthrate. (Yonhap)
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