Zachary Keck
Over the past two years, North Korea has been testing missiles at an unprecedented rate. During this time, it has unveiled a host of new missile systems, culminating in the July 4 test of an intercontinental ballistic missile. While Pyongyang’s provocations have rightly dominated global headlines, far less attention has been paid to the other side of the thirty-eighth parallel where South Korea has quietly been bolstering its own missile arsenal.
Seoul’s interest in missile technology dates back to the 1970s. Much like its nuclear program, it has been a periodic source of friction in its alliance with the United States. As the North Korean nuclear threat has grown in recent years, however, Washington has softened its stance on South Korean missiles. The results have been on display as of late, as Seoul tested its most advanced ballistic missile in late June.
With tensions heating up on the Korean Peninsula, it’s worth reviewing what the Republic of Korea has in its missile arsenal.
Ballistic Missiles
South Korea initially became interested in ballistic missiles in the 1970s, when the country was also pursuing a nuclear-weapons capability. Although the United States pressured Seoul to abandon its nuclear ambitions, it was less successful on the missile front. In fact, the United States actually agreed to allow South Korea to reverse engineer an American-made Nike Hercules ballistic missile, producing its own missile with both surface-to-air and surface-to-surface capability.
The resulting missile, which South Korea called the NHK-1 (also referred to as the Baekgom, among other names), is solid fueled, over twelve meters in length and .8 meters in diameter. Under pressure from the United States, Seoul agreed to limit its range to 180 km with a payload of five hundred kg. The missile was built by the Agency for Defense Development (ADD) and first tested in 1978.
http://nationalinterest.org/blog/the-buzz/north-korea-isnt-the-only-korea-killer-missiles-21469
