Military to spend $87 billion to bolster defenses against North's nuclear and missile threats

The Defense Ministry announced a five-year plan focused on improving the South Korean defense system, particularly centered on its three-axis defense strategy of Kill Chain, Korea Air and Missile Defense and Korea Massive Punishment and Retaliation.

Joint Chiefs of Staff Chairman Kim Myung-soo encourages marines at the Yeonpyeong Unit during his visit to the island off the coast of Incheon on Tuesday. This unit is the closest military outpost facing North Korea on the western border. The unit fired back when North Korea attacked with artillery shelling in 2010, during which four people were killed, including two civilians. [JOINT CHIEFS OF STAFF]

The South Korean military is set to invest 113.9 trillion won ($87 billion) by 2028 to enhance its defense system against North Korea's nuclear and missile threats.

The Defense Ministry announced on Tuesday a five-year plan focused on improving the South Korean defense system, particularly centered on its three-axis defense strategy of Kill Chain, Korea Air and Missile Defense (KAMD) and Korea Massive Punishment and Retaliation (KMPR).

Under the Kill Chain system, the South Korean military aims to preemptively strike the source of a potential attack while the KAMD axis intercepts incoming missiles. The KMPR strategy seeks to neutralize the enemy's command and control, including its leadership.

According to the Defense Ministry, 348.7 trillion won will be invested between 2024 and 2028, with 113.9 trillion won allocated to improve the defense system and 234.8 trillion for running the armed forces.

This five-year plan represents a 17.3 trillion won increase compared to the plan announced the previous year for spending until 2027.

The defense ministry plans to increase the defense budget by an annual average of 7 percent over the next five years to implement the Yoon Suk Yeol administration's Defense Innovation 4.0 project.

The military's priorities include developing the Kill Chain system and enhancing reconnaissance systems, including diversifying satellites and unmanned drones to secure footage and images of North Korean activities.

Following North Korea's recent launch of a reconnaissance satellite, South Korea successfully placed its first homegrown military reconnaissance satellite in orbit on Dec. 2.

The South Korean military also plans to strategically deploy medium-altitude unmanned aerial vehicles (MUAV) developed with domestic technology to augment reconnaissance assets.

As part of the kill chain system, the government will expedite the deployment of short-range tactical surface-to-surface missiles (KTSSM-I) and the development of KTSSM-II with longer-range capabilities and more powerful penetration capabilities.

This includes a budget of 41.5 trillion won for the next five years, covering long-range surface-to-air missiles, short-range tactical missiles and the development of suicide drones to improve precision in targeting the enemy's key objectives.

The development efforts will include stealth fighter jets and an over-3,000-ton submarine equipped with short-range ballistic missiles (SLBM).

For retaliation programs, the South Korean military plans to enhance the infiltration capacity of special forces by securing improved C-130 Hercules military transport aircraft and special mission helicopters.

The government intends to allocate over 1 trillion won over five years to improve working conditions for officers, including raising the short-term service allowance from 9 million won to 12 million won and, for non-commissioned officers, from 7.5 million won to 10 million won.

BY LEE HO-JEONG [lee.hojeong@joongang.co.kr]