South Korea

South Korea is a sovereign state in the southern part of the Korean Peninsula. It is neighboured by China to the west, Japan to the east, and North Korea to the north. With an estimated population of 50 million, it covers a total area 98,480 square kilometres which includes partially forested mountain ranges separated by deep, narrow valleys. Its main exports are wireless telecommunications equipment, motor vehicles and computers. Korea was one nation under the Goryeo and Joseon dynasties until the end of the Korean Empire in 1910, when Japan began a 35-year period of colonial rule. Japan surrendered to the Allied Powers in 1945 and three years later the country split in two, beginning decades of conflict between North and South. The current president of The Republic of Korea (South Korea) is Lee Myung-bak.

News›Asia

SOUTH KOREA

South Korea to deploy guided missiles at sea border with North

Friday, 18 January, 2013, 1:30pm

Agence France-Presse in Seoul

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A South Korean Navy vessel recovers debris from North Korea’s rocket launch in December 2012. The South is now increasing its missile strength. Photo: AFP/Defence Ministry

South Korea plans to deploy Israeli-made precision guided missiles near its tense sea border with North Korea next month, including an island shelled by the North in 2010, a report said on Friday.

The South would deploy 50 to 60 Spike anti-tank missiles to two border islands on the Yellow Sea to guard against potential attacks from the North, the Chosun Ilbo daily cited a Seoul military official as saying.

The two islands are Baengnyeong, the closest island to the disputed maritime border, and Yeonpyeong, which was shelled by the North in November 2010 in an attack that left four South Koreans, including two civilians, dead.

“Work to fix some technical problems found in past test-fire sessions has almost been completed,” Chosun quoted the official as saying. “There is no problem in deploying them [the missiles] by the end of next month.”

The South’s defence ministry spokesman declined to confirm the report.

The shelling of Yeonpyeong – the first attack on civilians since the 1950-1953 Korean War – sparked brief fears of an all-out conflict and sent cross-border ties into a tailspin.

The South’s military has since strengthened troops and weaponry at five frontier islands off the west coast – a constant flash point and scene of bloody naval clashes in 1999, 2002 and 2009.

Seoul’s military authorities reached a deal in 2011 to buy the Spike missiles developed by Israel’s Rafael Advanced Defence System.

The missile – using global positioning system technology and with a range of 25 kilometres – is reportedly capable of hitting North Korean artillery hidden in mountain caves.