South Korea now has a 'monster missile' to respond to North Korea

South Korea has begun deploying its most powerful surface-to-surface ballistic missile, the Hyunmoo-5, to military units on the front lines.

Military sources confirmed on Sunday that it was a key conventional weapon that had been officially put into operational use as part of North Korea's deterrence strategy.

The first deliveries began at the end of 2025 and full deployment is planned by 2030, before the end of the current government's term, the Defense blog reports.

The Hyunmoo-5 can carry a conventional warhead weighing up to eight tons, which is the largest payload ever installed on a South Korean missile system.

Although officially classified as a short-range ballistic missile, military analysts point out that by reducing the weight of the nuclear warhead, its range could theoretically be extended to around 3,000 kilometers.

The Hyunmoo-5's primary mission is to destroy deep underground facilities, including command bunkers and North Korean leadership hideouts. The system is included in the doctrine of mass punishment and retaliation, which, along with the Kill Chain system and air defense, constitute the three fundamental pillars of South Korea's defense strategy.

According to Lee Il-woo, director of the Korean Defense Network, the likelihood of North Korea successfully intercepting this missile is very low, given the current capabilities of its anti-aircraft systems.

South Korea has already begun development of new systems, the Hyunmoo-6 and Hyunmoo-7, which should bring a longer range and even more powerful penetration.Indeksonline/