South Korea: Mid-term defense program focuses on missile defense against N. Korea

 

Seoul has been gradually building an independent, low-tier missile shield called the Korea Air and Missile Defense (KAMD) since 2006 by acquiring Patriot missiles and long-range early warning radars. The budget draft also includes the additional purchase of PAC-2 missile interceptors and upgrading the current system to PAC-3 to deter North Korean missiles. After Pyongyang successfully launched a long-range rocket last December and conducted its third nuclear test in February, Seoul has been speeding up to establish a pre-emptive missile destruction system, so-called "Kill Chain," to detect and strike North Korea's missile and nuclear facilities. The Kill Chain is designed to detect signs of impending missiles or nuclear attacks from the communist country and launch pre-emptive strikes to eliminate the threat by using its advanced cruise and ballistic missiles to support its present missile defense system. (Read more)