30 Sep 17. North Korea seen moving missiles from development centre – South Korean broadcaster. Several North Korean missiles were recently spotted moved from a rocket facility in the capital Pyongyang, South Korea’s Korean Broadcasting System (KBS) reported late Friday amid speculation that the North was preparing to take more provocative actions.
The report cited an unnamed intelligence source saying South Korean and U.S. intelligence officials detected missiles being transported away from North Korea’s Missile Research and Development Facility at Sanum-dong in the northern part of Pyongyang.
The report did not say when or where they had been moved.
The missiles could be either intermediate range Hwasong-12 or intercontinental ballistic Hwasong-14 missiles, according to the report, though the missile facility at Sanum-dong has been dedicated to the production of intercontinental ballistic missiles.
A source from South Korea’s defence ministry said he could not confirm details of the report or whether there has been any unusual activities in the area mentioned.
South Korean official have voiced concerns that North Korea could conduct more provocative acts near the anniversary of the founding of its communist party on Oct. 10, or possibly when China holds its Communist Party Congress on Oct. 18.
Amid heightened tensions on the Korean Peninsula, South Korea and U.S. forces recently held their first joint short range air defence training exercise in South Korea, according to a statement released by the U.S. Pacific Command on Friday.
The statement did not give the date of the exercise, but said the next exercise is scheduled to take place over the next few months as the two forces become more familiar with each other’s capabilities. (Source: Reuters)
29 Sep 17. South Korea’s president stresses need to grow national defense capabilities. South Korea intends to further boost its military’s command and control as well as surveillance capabilities as the country’s president reiterated his desire to see it entrusted with wartime control of its forces.
Speaking at a ceremony to commemorate the nation’s 69th Armed Forces Day on Sept. 28 at the Republic of Korea Navy’s Second Fleet headquarters in Pyeongtaek, Gyeonggi, President Moon Jae-in said that by increasing defense capabilities and reducing its reliance on the American military, South Korea would project more power in the region and better deter an attack by North Korea.
He did reiterate, however, that he aims to strengthen South Korea’s ties with the U.S., noting that “we can fundamentally prevent North Korea’s nuclear provocations when the expanded deterrence of the [South] Korea-U.S. alliance is effectively manifested.”
South Korea’s Ministry of National Defense displayed several of the country’s most advanced military capabilities at the event, including the public debut of the Hyunmoo-2C ballistic missile, which has a range of almost 500 miles that enables it to potentially strike deep inside North Korea. In response to North Korea’s missile test on Sept. 14, South Korea conducted a quick launch of its own, test-firing a pair of Hyunmoo-2 missiles within six minutes.
The Hyunmoo family of ballistic missiles is part of South Korea’s three-pronged strategy against the North Korean missile threat: the Kill Chain preemptive strike system, the Korean Air and Missile Defense system and the Massive Punishment and Retaliation plan.
Currently, wartime operational control, or OPCON, of South Korea’s military rests in the hands of U.S. Forces Korea. Moon’s two predecessors pushed back the previous target dates of 2012 and 2015 to transfer control of forces, citing a need to further develop the country’s own defense capabilities.
South Korea is planning significant improvements to its military’s intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance, or ISR, capabilities, with its recent defense budget earmarking $10.6bn for procurement along with research and development. It has