{"id":2202292,"date":"2023-09-19T08:00:02","date_gmt":"2023-09-18T23:00:02","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/koreapro.org\/?p=2202292"},"modified":"2023-09-18T17:48:34","modified_gmt":"2023-09-18T08:48:34","slug":"seoul-boosting-bunker-busters-reflects-strategic-shift-and-export-prospects","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/koreapro.org\/2023\/09\/seoul-boosting-bunker-busters-reflects-strategic-shift-and-export-prospects\/","title":{"rendered":"Seoul boosting bunker-busters reflects strategic shift and export prospects"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">In a move signaling its commitment to bolstering defense capabilities, South Korea has <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.yna.co.kr\/view\/AKR20230918028200504?section=news\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">earmarked<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> approximately $218 million to develop an enhanced version of its domestically produced bunker-buster missile. As outlined by the state arms procurement agency, Defense Acquisition Program Administration (DAPA), the investment seeks to fortify the nation\u2019s defenses in the face of North Korea\u2019s evolving missile and nuclear postures. This advanced Korean Tactical Surface-to-Surface Missile-II (KTSSM-II), set to operate from a mobile launcher, is expected to boost the military\u2019s precision strike abilities, particularly against underground enemy positions, such as North Korea\u2019s entrenched long-range artillery assets.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The push for this enhanced missile system stems from previous provocations, notably the 2010 <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.bbc.com\/news\/world-asia-pacific-11818005\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">artillery strike<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> by North Korea on South Korea\u2019s Yeonpyeong Island. In that incident, North Korean coastal artillery, based in underground tunnels, fired on the island, leading to the deaths of two marines and two civilians. This incident compelled South Korea to advance its existing missile technology. The revamped bunker-buster missile promises improved range, surpassing the current system\u2019s 180-kilometer reach and enhanced penetration capabilities. However, DAPA has refrained from divulging specific details about the new weapon, citing operational security concerns.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><b>Why It Matters<\/b><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">South Korea\u2019s commitment of $218 million toward the enhancement of its bunker-buster missile capabilities adds an edge to its \u201c<\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.nknews.org\/2022\/12\/yoon-suk-yeol-orders-retaliation-against-any-north-korean-provocations\/\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Korea Massive Punishment and Retaliation<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u201d (KMPR) strategy. This framework, initiated as a countermeasure to potential North Korean provocations, involves striking Pyongyang, including key leadership figures such as Kim Jong Un, in retaliation for any North Korean nuclear or conventional first strikes on the South. The soon-to-be-developed KTSSM-II would have an extended range, potentially covering all of North Korea.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">This pivot toward an enhanced KMPR underlines a broader strategic recalibration in Seoul. Given North Korea&#8217;s rapidly evolving nuclear armament landscape, South Korea\u2019s faith in deterrence-by-denial mechanisms, such as preemptive strikes and missile defense systems, appears shaky. The unveiling of North Korea\u2019s \u201c<\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.nknews.org\/2023\/09\/north-korea-debuts-new-submarine-capable-of-launching-nuclear-missiles\/\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">tactical nuclear attack submarine<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u201d on Sept. 8, assigned to patrol the waters flanking the Korean Peninsula and Japan, exacerbates Seoul\u2019s concerns. Such advancements in North Korea\u2019s arsenal signal augmented survivability against preemptive countermeasures.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">From an economic and geopolitical standpoint, South Korea stands to gain significant traction in the global arms market. The successful induction of the vehicle-mounted KTSSM-II would reduce South Korea\u2019s reliance on the US-made <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.nknews.org\/2022\/03\/photos-south-koreas-shows-off-military-force-in-response-to-norths-icbm-test\/\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">ATACMS<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> surface-to-surface missile. It also translates into an opportunity for South Korea to widen its arms export portfolio, especially to countries that have integrated its <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/koreapro.org\/2022\/11\/the-three-big-drivers-of-the-south-korean-defense-industry\/\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">K239 Chunmoo<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> self-propelled multiple launch rocket system (MLRS). Poland agreed to procure 288 K239 Chunmoo multiple-rocket launchers in 2022. Similarly, countries like Saudi Arabia and the UAE have already operationalized the K239 Chunmoo in their arsenals, amplifying the potential for more extensive South Korean arms exports.<\/span><\/p>\n<div class=\"content-tags\"><a href=\"https:\/\/koreapro.org\/tag\/business-economy\/\"><span class=\"tag\">Business &amp; Economy<\/span><\/a><a href=\"https:\/\/koreapro.org\/tag\/defense-security\/\"><span class=\"tag\">Defense &amp; Security<\/span><\/a><a href=\"https:\/\/koreapro.org\/tag\/inter-korean-foreign-relations\/\"><span class=\"tag\">Inter-Korean &amp; Foreign Relations<\/span><\/a><\/div>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>In a move signaling its commitment to bolstering defense capabilities, South Korea has earmarked approximately $218 million to develop an enhanced version of its domestically produced bunker-buster missile. As outlined by the state arms procurement agency, Defense Acquisition Program Administration (DAPA), the investment seeks to fortify the nation\u2019s defenses in the face of North Korea\u2019s [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":10407,"featured_media":2202293,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[30],"tags":[24,26,28],"class_list":["post-2202292","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-briefings","tag-business-economy","tag-defense-security","tag-inter-korean-foreign-relations"],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v23.7 - https:\/\/yoast.com\/wordpress\/plugins\/seo\/ -->\n<title>Seoul boosting bunker-busters reflects strategic shift and export prospects - KOREA PRO<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/koreapro.org\/2023\/09\/seoul-boosting-bunker-busters-reflects-strategic-shift-and-export-prospects\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Seoul boosting bunker-busters reflects strategic shift and export prospects - KOREA PRO\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"In a move signaling its commitment to bolstering defense capabilities, South Korea has earmarked approximately $218 million to develop an enhanced version of its domestically produced bunker-buster missile. 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