Complete Operational Failure in Mid-Range Missile Counterfire
Related News Should Have Been Disclosed to Citizens in Case of Accident
[Asia Economy Reporter Naju-seok] Kim Byung-joo, a member of the Democratic Party of Korea, condemned the government's response to the Hyunmoo-2 missile misfire accident that occurred in Gangneung on the 4th. Kim said, "The counter-fire against the medium-range missile was a complete operational failure," and pointed out, "In trying to respond to North Korea, the missile ended up falling over the heads of our own people."
In an interview with YTN Radio's 'News King Park Ji-hoon' on the same day, Kim introduced the details of the missile misfire accident and criticized the response of the government and military authorities.
He explained, "At 11 p.m. on the 4th, there was a joint South Korea-U.S. ground-to-ground missile firing exercise in response to North Korea's medium-range missile launch," adding, "Among them, the first Hyunmoo-2 firing was at 11 p.m., but it was launched at an abnormal angle and landed 1.4 km behind the launch site, engulfed in flames and caught fire." He continued, "Nevertheless, the military announced this 10 hours and 30 minutes later," and said, "Residents and citizens spent the night in fear of war, with rumors spreading, wondering if a war had broken out."
Kim criticized the military authorities' response to the missile misfire accident. He said, "Normally, when an accident occurs, it is appropriate to stop firing until the cause is identified and completely resolved," and added, "It seems the focus was overwhelmingly on a strong response rather than the safety of citizens. Above all, the most important thing is the safety of the citizens." He criticized, "Fortunately, there were no casualties, but what if it had fallen in the center of Gangneung city? It could have led to a massive disaster."
Kim also criticized the delayed disclosure of the incident, saying it showed the rigidity of the military and the Presidential Security Office. He said, "Of course, if the joint South Korea-U.S. counter-fire was carried out as planned, it can be embargoed and announced in the morning as 'this is how the counter-fire was conducted,'" but added, "If an accident occurs in the meantime, it cannot be embargoed." He continued, "In case of an accident, it is directly related to the safety of the people," and said, "The Security Office and Ministry of National Defense are rigid, and I don't know why the safety of our people is being neglected like this."
Additionally, Kim explained that the missile had a ballistic trajectory but fortunately did not explode. He pointed out, "At the point 1.4 km away where it landed, there is a bomb trajectory in front," and said, "The propellant burned out and was engulfed in flames, and the trajectory was embedded 1 meter into the ground," adding, "If it had exploded, it could have sent fragments flying within a radius of 500 meters to nearly 1 km, creating a terrifying situation."
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