As North Korea diversifies its missile launch method, there are concerns that the South Korean military may have loopholes in its homing strike and surveillance system.



North Korea fires ballistic missiles from reservoirs following trains, raising questions about whether the kill chain of the 'Korean 3-axis system' that responds to North Korea's nuclear and missile programs can work properly in case of emergency.



North Korea even released a photo of the launch through the state media yesterday (10th) saying that the missile launched from Taecheon, Pyeongbuk on the 25th of last month was a submarine-launched ballistic missile (SLBM) fired from a reservoir.



At the time, the military authorities initially analyzed that the missile was a short-range surface-to-surface ballistic missile (SRBM) launched from a mobile launcher (TEL), but the launch platform and missile type were different from the reality.



The fact that North Korea has come up with a new launch method called reservoir launch has a great intention to avoid reconnaissance and surveillance by the South Korean military.



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It is pointed out that if North Korea hadn't disclosed the location of the launch first, it would not have been possible to know whether it was shot from a reservoir.



From the perspective of North Korea, it seems that the purpose of avoiding the surveillance network has been achieved.



The missile that North Korea fired from the reservoir is called a 'mini SLBM', a model modified to shoot the North Korean version of the Iskander (KN-23) ballistic missile under water.



The KN-23, which is difficult to intercept due to its pull-up (up and down) maneuver, is being developed in various forms, and is being used even as an SLBM.



Previously, the KN-23, which was shot on January 14, was launched by the 'Rail-Mounted Missile Regiment' in the Uiju area of ​​Pyeongbuk.



At that time, North Korea referred to "a nationwide rail-powered missile operation system," implying that it had formed a rail-powered missile regiment in each province.



Regarding this trend, a military official said, "It is a desperate measure to evade South Korea-U.S. surveillance, and to be very conscious of our kill chain capabilities."



Kill chain refers to a series of defense systems that track enemy ballistic missiles and preemptively strike them.



The Ministry of National Defense said that while our reconnaissance and surveillance capabilities are at a considerable level, "for completeness, additional security is necessary."



Some say that the reservoir launch is equivalent to giving up the secrecy that is the reason for the existence of the SLBM.



The usefulness of SLBMs is that they do not know where a submarine, which is difficult to understand underwater movements, will shoot, because the reservoir is a kind of 'fixed launch pad'.



There is also an opinion that missiles launched from reservoirs should be classified as simple 'underwater launch' or 'reservoir launch' rather than SLBM.



Considering the North Korean climate, operation at sub-zero temperatures in winter is also a clear constraint on the launch of the reservoir.



(Photo = Yonhap News)