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Ending Seoul’s missile cap has regional implications

Content type:: Expert Briefings
Location:: SOUTH KOREA
Keywords associated with this article:: Geographic: South Korea AP China North Korea United States Russia

Topical: international relations arms arms control defence foreign policy military security aerospace
ISSN:: 2633-304X
Citation:: Oxford Analytica (2021), "Ending Seoul’s missile cap has regional implications", Expert Briefings.
https://doi.org/10.1108/OXAN-DB262171

Thursday, June 17, 2021

Seoul now has full ‘missile sovereignty’.

North Korea is yet to react, but may do so with a missile launch.
Seoul already has all of North Korea within range and no limits on missile payload; longer-range missiles would be for targets elsewhere.
Seoul’s plans to build an aircraft carrier also indicate 'middle-power' ambitions to be able to project force well beyond the peninsula.
After the end of the US-Russian ban on intermediate-range missiles, Moscow will be unhappy if a near neighbour and US ally develops them.
Greater capabilities will make Seoul a more useful ally for Washington against Beijing, which may come to see Seoul as an increasing threat.