A key missile defense radar system, emplaced in a southern city last year, went into full-fledged operation earlier this month, Seoul officials said Wednesday amid growing North Korean nuclear and missile threats.

The ground-based Green Pine radar in Busan, 390 kilometers south of Seoul, is now running at full capacity. It was delivered to the city late last year, but had to go through testing and other procedures before going into service.

The operation of the radar comes as Pyongyang is pushing to develop an assortment of new missiles to be fired from various launch platforms, including a submarine, train and a reservoir silo.

Along with the SPY-1 radar installed on the Navy's Aegis-equipped destroyers, the Green Pine Radar plays a central role to detect hostile ballistic missiles. Its detection range is known to be around 800 km.

The South Korean military has run a set of Green Pine radar systems in a central region, raising concerns that their operational location could leave southern and other rear areas vulnerable to potential North Korean attacks, such as a submarine-launched ballistic missile strike. (Yonhap)