South Korea Reveals Hyunmoo-5 'Monster Missile' to Bolster Defense Against North Korea

South Korea has introduced its most formidable ballistic missile to date, the Hyunmoo-5, also known as the “Monster Missile.” This development signifies a significant advancement in the nation's efforts to establish a strong conventional deterrent against North Korea's growing nuclear and missile capabilities.

The Hyunmoo-5 is a road-mobile, ground-to-ground ballistic missile, weighing approximately 36 tonnes and measuring 16 metres in length. It is specifically designed for deep-penetration and bunker-busting missions. With a payload capacity of up to eight tonnes, the missile is capable of inflicting substantial kinetic damage on fortified underground military sites and missile launch platforms in North Korea.

Defense officials have highlighted the missile's adaptable operational range, which extends to about 600 kilometres with a full payload and increases with lighter warheads. This range-flexible design provides South Korea with a versatile tool for executing precise conventional strikes, whether pre-emptive or retaliatory in nature.

Defense Minister Ahn Gyu-back announced that the mass production of the Hyunmoo-5 is already in progress, with plans for operational deployment by the end of 2025. He emphasized that the missile system represents Seoul's strategy of achieving a "balance of terror," aiming for credible deterrence against nuclear threats by leveraging overwhelming non-nuclear capabilities.

The introduction of the Hyunmoo-5 comes after the lifting of U.S.-imposed missile payload restrictions in 2017, enabling South Korea to develop larger and more advanced missile systems. This new missile is integral to Seoul's Kill Chain and Korea Massive Punishment and Retaliation (KMPR) strategies, which focus on detecting, targeting, and neutralizing North Korea's leadership and military infrastructure in case of aggression.

Experts observe that the Hyunmoo-5 highlights South Korea's increasing independence in strategic defense technologies and marks a pivotal step in its transition from a regional defense power to a prominent missile-capable nation.