Military: "North fires SLBM from reservoir... desperate measure aware of 'Kill Chain'"

Military: SLBM effectiveness as a weapon system when operated from submarines
"As North Korean provocations continue, ROK-US response and ROK-US-Japan cooperation will strengthen"

[Image source=Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Jang Hee-jun] The military authorities recently evaluated North Korea's launch of a submarine-launched ballistic missile (SLBM) from a reservoir rather than a submarine as "a desperate measure to evade South Korea-US surveillance and to significantly take into account our kill chain capabilities."

Kim Jun-rak, spokesperson for the Joint Chiefs of Staff, said at a regular briefing on the 11th in response to related questions, "SLBMs are considered effective as a weapons system when launched from submarines," adding this assessment.

North Korea announced the day before that it had launched a ballistic missile equipped with a simulated tactical nuclear warhead from a reservoir in the northwest region into the East Sea on the 25th of last month. This is the first time North Korea has fired an SLBM from an inland reservoir. At the time, the military authorities had estimated it as a short-range ballistic missile (SRBM) launched from a transporter erector launcher (TEL).

Until now, North Korea has conducted SLBM launch tests around Sinpo in South Hamgyong Province, where shipyards and research facilities are concentrated. However, with North Korea devising a new SLBM launch platform called an 'inland reservoir,' concerns are emerging that the South Korean military's kill chain response, including SLBM detection, may be weakened.

Regarding this, Moon Hong-sik, deputy spokesperson for the Ministry of National Defense, explained, "The strike assets and delivery means revealed by North Korea's Rodong Sinmun this time can be detected and intercepted by the Korean missile defense system we currently possess."

However, Deputy Spokesperson Moon added, "The most important factor related to the kill chain is securing reconnaissance and surveillance assets," and "Our reconnaissance and surveillance capabilities are at a considerable level, but to achieve completeness over the entire North Korean territory, additional acquisition of military reconnaissance satellites or medium-to-high altitude reconnaissance drones is necessary."

Furthermore, regarding the large-scale comprehensive air attack exercise involving 150 military aircraft that North Korea announced on the 8th and the South Korean military's non-disclosure of its response, the military authorities responded, "We have identified North Korea's activities and taken necessary countermeasures, but since North Korea's activities occurred north of the Northern Limit Line, we did not provide separate explanations."

The military's stance is that there is nothing new about North Korea's provocations from the 25th of last month to the 9th of this month, which it referred to as 'tactical nuclear operational unit training' and used to showcase nuclear weapon delivery means.

Meanwhile, regarding the ongoing political disputes over recent South Korea-US-Japan joint exercises, the military reiterated a fundamental position, stating, "The North Korean nuclear and missile threats continue to be a very grave and serious situation," and "The more North Korea provokes, the more the South Korea-US alliance's response capabilities, as well as international security cooperation including South Korea-US-Japan, will be strengthened."

When asked whether North Korea's state media report on the exercises yesterday clearly revealed an intention targeting South Korea, the military replied, "The Joint Chiefs of Staff and the Ministry of National Defense have been analyzing and responding to that content," and "There is nothing further to add."

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.