Through recent high-level statements, South Korea’s Ministry of National Defense has confirmed the start of mass production of the new Hyunmoo-5 ballistic missile, a system that will be used by the South Korean Armed Forces as part of their program to strengthen strategic deterrence capabilities.
The information was disclosed by South Korean Defense Minister Ahn Gyu-back during an interview with the Yonhap news agency, where he stated that the country is in the final stages of preparation to begin serial production of the new missile, with the goal of deploying the first units before the end of the year. “As South Korea is a member of the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty and cannot possess nuclear weapons, I firmly believe that we should have a considerable number of Hyunmoo-5 missiles to achieve a balance of deterrence,” the minister said.
The decision to move forward with production comes amid growing regional tensions with North Korea, which continues to develop and test ballistic missiles of various ranges, including those with nuclear capability. In this context, the Hyunmoo-5 represents South Korea’s response to its neighbor’s challenge within the limits imposed by the aforementioned international treaties signed by Seoul, relying instead on a highly precise vector with great destructive power thanks to its conventional warhead.
About the Hyunmoo-5 ballistic missile
The Hyunmoo-5 was officially unveiled in October 2024 during the Armed Forces Day ceremony, where it was showcased for the first time mounted on mobile launch vehicles. Its development, led by Hanwha Aerospace, was completed in 2023, paving the way for industrialization. The company currently has a production capacity of up to 70 units per year, with the goal of enabling the South Korean Army to field around 200 operational missiles in the coming years.
In terms of technical characteristics, the Hyunmoo-5 is estimated to have a range exceeding 3,000 kilometers, carrying a warhead weighing about 8 tons, designed to penetrate reinforced underground facilities through kinetic energy. This design features a payload composed of heavy metals, optimized to destroy bunkers or command centers located at great depth.
The announcement of production progress comes shortly after North Korea unveiled its new Hwasong-20 intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM), a system that, according to reports from North Korean state media, is capable of reaching U.S. territory. Both developments highlight the accelerating technological arms race on the Korean Peninsula, where deterrence capabilities continue to play a central role in the defense policies of both nations.
Photographs used for illustrative purposes.
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