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S. Korea vows countermeasures against N. Korea’s sub-missiles

June 5, 2015
This undated picture released from North Korea's official Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) on June 16, 2014 shows North Korean leader Kim Jong-un, centre, inspecting the submarine No. 748 of Korean People's Army (KPA) naval unit 167 led 7th regiment at an undisclosed location in North Korea. (KCNA/Yonhap)

This undated picture released from North Korea’s official Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) on June 16, 2014 shows North Korean leader Kim Jong-un, centre, inspecting the submarine No. 748 of Korean People’s Army (KPA) naval unit 167 led 7th regiment at an undisclosed location in North Korea. (KCNA/Yonhap)

SEOUL, June 5 (Yonhap) — The Ministry of National Defense said Friday it is working to devise effective countermeasures to counter North Korea’s ballistic missiles launched from submarines.

Last month, the communist country claimed that it successfully carried out an underwater test of a submarine-launched ballistic missile (SLBM). It has been a source of concern as its mobile and stealth nature would make it difficult to be detected.

“We continue to assess its capabilities regarding the SLBM, and we expect the North to take some four to five years before the full deployment,” Defense Ministry spokesman Kim Min-seok told reporters.

“We now have countermeasures against them, and will make them perfect before the North puts them in service,” he said, refusing to elaborate further.

In the face of evolving nuclear and missile threats from Pyongyang, South Korea is working on building the pre-emptive strike apparatus of the Kill Chain, and the low-tier air defense program, the Korean Air and Missile Defense system.

The military here is also known to have considered purchasing another ground-based missile-defense system, known as Green Pine radar, for a more effective defense against SLBMs.