[Yang Nak-gyu's Defence Club] Extending the Range of the Nuclear Bomb-Level 'Hyunmoo-5 Monster Missile'

Maintain explosive power through performance improvement, reduce warhead weight
Range over 600 km when equipped with 6t warhead

The military has decided to upgrade the performance of the Hyunmoo-5 ballistic missile. The Hyunmoo-5 is a ballistic missile capable of carrying the heaviest warhead in the world (8 to 9 tons). With the performance upgrade, the explosive power will be maintained while the warhead weight is reduced and the range can be further extended.

The 75th anniversary of the founding of the armed forces and Armed Forces Day celebration is taking place on the 26th around Gwanghwamun Street in Jung-gu, Seoul, with advanced weapons participating in a parade. Photo by Joint Press Corps

On the 11th, a senior military official said, "At the end of last year, we successfully completed a warhead test of the Hyunmoo-5 in Cheorwon, Gangwon Province," and added, "This year, we plan to develop a warhead with 50% increased explosive power by technically modifying the propellant used in the warhead."

The Hyunmoo-5 can destroy targets such as tunnels or bunkers deeper than 100 meters underground. It can deliver destructive power virtually comparable to that of a nuclear weapon. The reason the military wants to upgrade its performance is because of the range. When carrying an 8-ton warhead, the Hyunmoo-5 can fly over 300 km, and when carrying a 6-ton warhead, it can fly over 600 km. Its speed is at least Mach 10.

From this year, the Hyunmoo-5 is scheduled to be produced in earnest, and production of the upgraded Hyunmoo-5 will begin as soon as testing is completed. The Hyunmoo-5 series missiles are produced by Hanwha Aerospace. The Hyunmoo-5 can be produced up to about 70 units annually, and the upgraded Hyunmoo-5 up to about 40 units annually.

The Hyunmoo-5 series ballistic missiles are a representative means of the Massive Punishment and Retaliation (KMPR) system, one of the "Korean-style 3-axis" systems. The military plans to deploy up to about 200 units to units under the Missile Command. The Hyunmoo-5 is expected to be deployed to units such as the 1200th Battalion, a subordinate unit of the Missile Command's ballistic missile brigade.