Should South Korea Expand Production of Ballistic Missiles?

South Korea had another successful test of their newest ballistic missile:

Image from Reuters.

President Park Geun-hye watched South Korea’s first test-fire of a ballistic missile capable of reaching nearly all parts of North Korea, Cheong Wa Dae said Wednesday, in an apparent show of force against the communist archrival.

The test-firing took place at a firing range run by the state-run Agency for Defense Development in Taean, South Chungcheong Province, presidential spokesman Min Kyung-wook said.

It is the first time in three decades that a president visited the firing range on the west coast.

The move came amid tensions on the Korean Peninsula over North Korea’s provocative actions in recent weeks, including a launch of a ballistic missile from a submarine.  [Yonhap]

You can read more at the link, but South Korea was allowed to start developing these missiles by the United States back in 2012. Considering the technological advantage South Korea has over the North I am sure they can rapidly develop some great ballistic missile systems.

Something to keep in mind is that if these missiles can target all areas of North Korea they will also have the range to target large Chinese cities like Shanghai and Beijing.  I wonder if the ROK continues to develop ballistic missiles to counter the North that this will get the Chinese government to try and reel in the North Koreans?  This seems like the best reason for the ROK to continue the development of ballistic missiles.

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MTB Rider
8 years ago

After seeing the rocket and it’s smoke plume in this pic, I’m just waiting on the inevitable poem or limrick!

Take it away, CH!

ChickenHead
ChickenHead
8 years ago

LIMERICK

MTB saw the plume in this pic
and wanted a clever limerick.
I’ve nothing to say,
but if I were gay,
I’d think of big pluming black diick.

Brian Kim
Brian Kim
8 years ago

I’ve always heard anecdote that RoK always underreport the range of their ballistic missile.

JoeC
JoeC
8 years ago

#3

Even if they didn’t have missile range limit guidelines most advanced countries will underreport their capabilities and most underdog countries **cough North Korea cough ** will exaggerate their capabilities.

Bruce K. Nivens
Bruce K. Nivens
8 years ago

I have to wonder what good it does for the ROK to have ballistic missiles that can reach anywhere in NK. It’s not like there are any targets of significant value. In the event of an all-out invasion by NK, the NK government, military leadership and forces held in reserve will move to underground facilities. Other than causing a lot of NK civilian casualties and collateral damage, what else would a ROK ballistic missile accomplish?

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