South Korea is set to unveil its most powerful ballistic missile yet, the Hyunmoo-5, during the Armed Forces Day celebration on October 1, 2024.
According to Yonhap News, the new weapon will be part of the parade commemorating the 76th anniversary of the founding of the country’s military.
Colloquially dubbed the ‘Monster Missile’ by local media, the Hyunmoo-5 boasts a warhead weight of eight tons, far surpassing its predecessor, the Hyunmoo-4, which featured a two-ton warhead. The missile has an estimated range of over 3,000 kilometers (around 1,800 miles) and can be launched from ships. For reference, the US-developed GBU-43/B Massive Ordnance Air Blast (MOAB), considered the most powerful non-nuclear bomb ever deployed in combat based on its explosive material, carries an 8.5-ton warhead.
Developed locally by the Agency for Defense Development, the Hyunmoo-5 is a component of South Korea’s ‘Three-Axis’ system, designed to counter North Korean nuclear threats.
As part of the third phase of this plan, known as Korea Massive Punishment and Retaliation (KMPR), the Hyunmoo-5 is intended to destroy North Korea’s underground bunkers and command facilities as a retaliatory measure in the event of nuclear or conventional first strike on South Korea.
In 2021, the South Korean-US missile range guidelines, which had previously restricted South Korea’s development and possession of ballistic missiles, were lifted. This allowed South Korea to pursue the development of intermediate-range and intercontinental ballistic missiles.
In July 2023, Hanwha Aerospace confirmed its readiness to mass-produce the Hyunmoo-5 at a rate of 70 units annually, with plans for the South Korean military to acquire 200 missiles. The first public launch of a Hyunmoo-5 missile took place in late December 2023.