Seoul to enhance defense against nuclear attacks

South Korea plans to improve defenses by 2014 against nuclear electromagnetic pulse attacks that could devastate power grids and electronic systems.

The Defense Ministry also said yesterday it would purchase U.S. high-altitude unmanned spy aircraft called "Global Hawk" in 2015.

U.S. bunker-busting bombs capable of destroying underground enemy targets will be introduced next year, officials said.

The ministry announced a 178 trillion won ($141 billion) mid-term defense plan for 2010-14, aimed to bolster response to North Korean nuclear and missile threats.

The military will spend about 100 billion won to ready measures to shield strategic assets from a possible EMP strike from North Korea. About 6 billion won has been earmarked to fund the project design in next year`s budget.

An EMP is unleashed from a nuclear blast and disrupts electric and electronic devices.



A nuclear weapon with a yield of 30 kilotons detonated 100 kilometers above the Earth`s surface could have devastating effects on up to 70 percent of electrical systems up to 1600 kilometers in every direction, according to a 2007 report by an Alaska emergency response commission.

South Korea, one of the world`s most wired countries, is seen as especially vulnerable to such a threat, which a U.S. report said could instantly regress a country dependent on 21st century technology by more than 100 years.

The ministry also reported that it would introduce Global Hawks to enhance surveillance of North Korea.

Flying up to 3,000 kilometers and zooming in on an area just 0.3 meters square, the spy planes offer satellite-level precision intelligence.

In May, the United States offered to sell them to Seoul which has repeatedly requested the sale for many years.

Seoul wanted to buy them by 2011 but postponed the purchase because of budget problems.

The ministry will use 8 billion won in next year`s budget to prepare for the procurement.

The plan also included purchase next year of laser-guided GBU-28 bombs, which the U.S. military used to destroy Iraq`s underground command centers during the 1990-91 war.

The so-called bunker-busters delivered by jet fighters could be used to attack North Korea`s underground nuclear sites and missiles and artillery stored in caves.

The ministry will spend 64 billion won to purchase scores of the bombs.

It will also buy 400 kilometer-range precision cruise missiles JASSMs next year.

Other advanced weapons such as JDAMs using the Global Positioning System, an early warning system against ballistic missiles, and laser-guided low-altitude bombs called GBU-24s will also be introduced.

The Air Force plans to equip its surveillance planes with devices capable of catching signals from North Korean nuclear and missile sites by 2016 at a cost of 10 billion won.

The mid-term plan also calls for a sharp increase of its research and development spending to enhance its self-reliance in defense technology.

The proportion of R&D investment to the annual defense budget will rise from 5.6 percent this year to 7.4 percent in 2014, the ministry said.

The plan is in line with a 599.3 trillion won defense reform plan to be implemented until 2020 unveiled last week.

Under the plan, the Defense Ministry will establish a cyber command by 2012 to more effectively cope with the increasing threats against its defense database and networks.

The Army would be adding more advanced artillery pieces including multiple rocket launchers to counter North Korean artillery attacks at the border.

The ministry plans to cut the armed forces in phases from the current 657,000 to 517,000 through 2020, while modernizing weapons, intelligence and operational systems.

(jjhwang@heraldm.com)



By Hwang Jang-jin