Korea’s New Missile Defense System: Protecting Against North Korean Threats – Part 3
Daniel Kim Views
According to military experts, it’s still unrealistic to consider L-SAM, which is currently under development, as having an interception system equivalent to THAAD. According to the unit introduction brochure on the USFK’s official website, the detection range of the THAAD radar at Seongju Base is up to 1000 kilometers. It boasts high accuracy using the X-band, an influential frequency band specialized for ballistic missile detection.
In contrast, the L-SAM is being developed based on the S-band, which is dual-purpose for detecting aircraft and ballistic missiles. Due to the characteristics of the frequency band, its accuracy is known to be lower than that of THAAD. The maximum detection range is reported to be several hundred kilometers.
Implementing precise directional control technology for guided missiles at higher altitudes is challenging. While THAAD can intercept ballistic missiles up to a maximum altitude of 150 kilometers, the L-SAM’s maximum defense altitude is relatively lower, around 70 kilometers. However, regarding performance per price, L-SAM is a “clear winner,” according to the standard view of the domestic defense industry.
The military authorities also plan to expedite the establishment of another axis of the multilayered defense system, the “Korean-style Iron Dome.”
The threat posed by North Korea’s long-range artillery to the metropolitan area of South Korea is significant. Over a thousand long-range artillery pieces are currently deployed near the Military Demarcation Line (MDL) in the northern region. Approximately 340 pieces are directly aimed at Seoul and the metropolitan area, including 170mm self-propelled howitzers with a range of 54 kilometers (140 pcs) and 240mm multiple rocket launchers with a range of 60 kilometers (200 pcs).
The 240 mm multiple rocket launcher comprises 12 or 22 rocket launch tubes. With 22 tubes, it can fire up to 4,400 rockets at once. Although the 170 mm self-propelled howitzer fires relatively slowly, about 1 to 2 rounds per 5 minutes, firing 2 rounds every 5 minutes can disperse up to 3,360 shells per hour. The military authorities estimate that these long-range artillery pieces could fire up to 16,000 shells into the metropolitan area of South Korea within one hour of an outbreak of war.
The Korean Tactical Surface-to-Surface Missile (KTSSM) will be deployed this year to address this threat. The KTSSM is capable of penetrating concrete protective walls and soil to destroy equipment, supplies, and troops inside bunkers. It is hailed as a “long-range artillery killer” as it can target North Korean long-range artillery positions in bunkers.
KTSSM, the “Long-Range Artillery Killer,” Penetrates Bunkers and Destroys Targets
The KTSSM is capable of firing four consecutive shots within seconds. It boasts a maximum range of 180 kilometers and is equipped with military-grade GPS, ensuring missile accuracy with a circular error probable (CEP) of only 1-2 meters. Moreover, if there are moving North Korean long-range artillery units, the KTSSM can track their locations using artillery hunting radar and proceed with secondary destruction. This counterfire warfare execution system is currently the core of our military power.
So far, it has been reported that the Korean-style Iron Dome will be deployed in 11 key national facilities, including the Office of the President, the Ministry of National Defense, and the Capital Defense Command. However, it has been noted that the counterfire warfare execution headquarters and the U.S. 2nd Infantry Division are excluded from the deployment plan. Some analysts speculate that this shift from emphasizing the “spear” (North Korean long-range artillery) versus “spear” (joint counterfire warfare of South Korea and the U.S.) military strategy to a dynamic of “spear” (long-range artillery) versus “shield” (Iron Dome) strategy.
A Ministry of National Defense official explained, “We plan to strengthen the upper and lower tier defense capabilities for major assets such as the metropolitan area and key facilities by securing various defense capabilities such as Cheongung-II, PAC-3 guided missiles, and L-SAM.” They further elaborated, “In addition to this, by developing systems such as long-range artillery intercept systems, M-SAM-III, and L-SAM-II, and operationally deploying them, we can establish a robust, complex, and multilayered defense system.”
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