As part of the Armed Forces Day celebrations, South Korea officially unveiled its first Hyunmoo-5 ballistic missile. It was showcased on two mobile launchers that carried the system alongside other military equipment at Seoul Air Base in Seongnam.
Although South Korea had kept the Hyunmoo-5 ballistic missile a secret due to its strategic importance, it was confirmed that its development was completed in 2023. Since then, Hanwha Aerospace has given the green light to begin mass production, with a maximum capacity of 70 units per year, aiming for the South Korean Army to deploy up to 200 missiles.
So far, the information released indicates that it can carry a warhead weighing approximately 8 tons and is capable of destroying underground bunkers. Additionally, plans are in place to equip the future Joint Strike Ship, currently in the conceptual design stage under Hanwha Ocean, with the Hyunmoo-V missile.
About the Hyunmoo-5
The missile was developed as part of South Korea’s three-axis operational plan to incapacitate North Korea through a preventive strike platform called Kill Chain and the Korean Air and Missile Defense System. The missile has a minimum range of 300 km and can reach up to 3,000 km when the size and weight of the warhead are reduced.
In addition to these characteristics, the missile also features a warhead primarily composed of heavy metals to penetrate underground facilities using kinetic energy.
During last year’s Armed Forces Day ceremony, they also showcased its predecessor, the Hyunmoo-4. In comparison, the fourth version can only carry a payload of around two tons.
Analysts believe that through this display and demonstration of military hardware, South Korea’s armed forces are sending a signal or message to North Korea, which has drawn attention in recent years with its threats and hostile activities, such as missile launches and sending balloons filled with trash. Furthermore, in the weeks leading up to the celebration, Pyongyang revealed the existence of uranium enrichment facilities.
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