[Yang Nak-gyu's Defense Club] Can We Defend Against North Korea's 'Four New Weapons Set'?

The three-axis system consists of the Kill Chain concept, which preemptively strikes the origin point if there are signs of a missile launch from North Korea; the Korean Air and Missile Defense system (KAMD), which intercepts launched missiles; and the Korean Massive Punishment and Retaliation system (KMPR), which punishes the command leadership, including Kim Jong-un, in the event of a nuclear attack from North Korea.

[Asia Economy Yang Nak-gyu Reporter] With reports that North Korea has deployed a super-large multiple rocket launcher (MRL) in actual combat, interest in our military's defense system is increasing. If North Korea has completed the deployment of the 600mm-class super-large MRL, it is observed that they have completed a set of four new weapons, including the new tactical guided missile (tactical guided weapon, North Korean version of Iskander), new large-caliber guided MRL, and the North Korean version of ATACMS (Army Tactical Missile System).

The MRL fired by North Korea on the 2nd is a 600mm-class super-large MRL. An MRL is a multiple launch rocket system that bundles several launch tubes and fires multiple shells at a target simultaneously. North Korea is believed to have effectively deployed it in combat by conducting joint strike exercises together with the 240mm-class MRL.

Our military plans to expand the defense area of the Korean Air and Missile Defense (KAMD) system and further strengthen missile interception capabilities in response to the increasing missile threat from North Korea.

According to the Ministry of National Defense's recently announced '2020?2024 Defense Mid-term Plan,' the military plans to secure the ability to detect North Korean missiles coming from all directions by adding two ballistic missile early warning radars (with detection range over 800 km) and Aegis destroyer radars (SPY-1D).

Additionally, the military will upgrade and deploy Patriot and Cheolmae-II systems, complete the development of long-range surface-to-air missiles (L-SAM) to secure interception capabilities against North Korea's new short-range ballistic missiles, and expand precision-guided munitions launched from ground, ships, submarines, and fighter jets to strike strategic targets such as North Korea's nuclear and missile facilities.

Meanwhile, attention is also focused on the background of North Korea's missile test launch from Tongcheon County, only about 50 km from the Military Demarcation Line (MDL). Tongcheon is the location specified in the September 19 military agreement signed by the South and North last year.

According to the military agreement, both Koreas have completely suspended artillery firing exercises and outdoor maneuvers at the regimental level or higher within 5 km of the MDL. At sea, in the West Sea, firing and maritime maneuver exercises have been suspended in waters from north of Deokjeokdo on the South side to south of Chodo on the North side, and in the East Sea, from north of Sokcho on the South side to south of Tongcheon on the North side. Although military authorities stated that this launch is unrelated to violations of the military agreement, there is an interpretation that North Korea, which criticizes joint South Korea-U.S. exercises and the South's introduction of advanced weapons, may be sending a warning signal that the military agreement could be jeopardized in the future.

Shin Jong-woo, Senior Analyst at the Korea Defense & Security Forum (KODEF), interpreted, "(This missile) is presumed to have been launched from a lake 15 km north of the maritime no-hostile acts zone," calling it a warning message that the military agreement could be broken.