On October 1, South Korea held a military parade for “Armed Forces Day” during which they unveiled the “Hyunmoo-5” ballistic missile capable of destroying underground bunkers for the first time. Some South Korean media outlets referred to it as their largest ballistic missile, possessing significant power to deter the continuous provocations from North Korea.
According to South Korea’s “Chosun Ilbo,” the Hyunmoo-5, nicknamed the “monster missile,” is a conventional short-range ballistic missile with destructive capabilities just below that of a tactical nuclear weapon. While typical ballistic missile warheads weigh around 1 ton, the Hyunmoo-5’s warhead weighs 8 tons, making it the most powerful missile among conventional weapons.
The report mentioned that the Hyunmoo-5 is assessed to be able to strike enemy structures buried 100 meters underground, making it highly effective in targeting North Korea’s underground command bunkers and nuclear facilities.
Recently, Israel’s BLU-109 hardened penetrator bombs used to combat Hezbollah have warheads weighing 870 kilograms, capable of destroying structures within 60 meters underground. In terms of warhead weight, the power of the Hyunmoo-5 is approximately ten times that of the BLU-109.
The publicly unveiled Hyunmoo-5 on that day featured a cylindrical launch tube mounted on a transporter-erector-launcher (TEL) for missile deployment. To ensure the launcher’s safety during missile launch, the missile employs a “cold launch” method where it ignites mid-air post-launch.
This vehicle showcased lateral mobility by rotating only its tires and moving diagonally. All 18 wheels are tilted at the same angle, resembling a “crab walk.”
During the event, South Korean military officials introduced that the Hyunmoo-5 is capable of providing ultra-precise and powerful strikes across all regions of North Korea.
Yoo Yong-won, a member of the People Power Party under the National Defense Committee of the South Korean National Assembly, speculated that the 8-ton warhead of the Hyunmoo-5 has a range of 300 kilometers, which could increase to over 3,000 kilometers if the warhead weight is reduced to 1 ton.
According to Radio Free Asia, South Korean President Yoon Suk-yeol stated during the ceremony that with its strong combat capabilities and solid readiness, the South Korean military can immediately counter North Korea’s provocations.
He said, “If North Korea attempts to use nuclear weapons, it will face a resolute and overwhelming response from our military and the South Korea-U.S. alliance. That day will mark the end of the North Korean regime.”
During the event, a U.S. B-1B bomber performed a low-altitude flight accompanied by South Korean F-15K fighter jets as a demonstration of the security alliance between Seoul and Washington. It was the first time this strategic bomber participated in South Korea’s “Armed Forces Day” event.
In his speech, President Yoon Suk-yeol also urged North Korea to abandon the “fantasy” that possessing nuclear weapons ensures its security. He stated, “False peace built on the goodwill of enemies is nothing but a delusion. History has shown that the only way to maintain peace is to strengthen our power so that our enemies do not dare to challenge us.”