South Korea successfully test-fires its own submarine-launched missile: Report

Seoul

South Korea has test-fired a homegrown submarine-launchedballistic missile, a report said Tuesday, as it seeks to build up its forces todefend itself from the nuclear-armed North.

Pyongyang has long sought to develop submarine-launchedballistic missile (SLBM) technology, and showed off four such devices at amilitary parade overseen by leader Kim Jong Un in January, with state mediaKCNA calling them "the world's most powerful weapon".

But while North Korea has released pictures ofunderwater launches, most recently in 2019, analysts believe that was from afixed platform or submersible barge, rather than a submarine.

South Korea's Agency for Defense Development last weekcarried out underwater ejection tests of the SLBM from a new, locally developed3,000-tonne class submarine fitted with six vertical launching tubes, Yonhapreported, citing unnamed military sources.

The SLBM is believed to be a variant of the country'sHyunmoo-2B ballistic missile, with a range of around 500 kilometres (310miles), and will be mass produced for deployment after another round of tests,it added.

South Korea joins only a handful of countries to havesuccessfully developed an SLBM. Seoul on Monday allocated nearly 1.5 trillionwon ($1.3 billion) for defence technology research and development next year ina budget request submitted to parliament.

If approved, it will represent a 76 per cent jump in theresearch budget of the Defense Acquisition Program Administration, which willbe used to "actively develop cutting-edge, future technologies",according to a press release.

Pyongyang is also looking to further enhance its submarineforces. In January, Kim told a congress of his ruling Workers' Party that theNorth had completed plans for a nuclear-powered submarine.

Any such vessel is likely to be years away from going intoservice, but analysts say it could be a strategic game-changer, enablingPyongyang to launch a surprise strike underwater even if its land-based forceshad been destroyed. Kim inspected a newly built submarine in 2019, whenpictures showed him standing next to a gigantic vessel accompanied byofficials.