South Korea to upgrade Patriot missile defence system to deter North Korea's belligerence

South Korea on Monday has approved 750 billion (US$605 million) worth project to upgrade its Patriot missile defence system, Seoul’s arms procurement agency said, according to the state affiliated Korean agency Yonhap. The project is expected to be completed by 2027, and aims to deter North Korea’s belligerence and its recent missile provocations. South Korea is also in the process of procuring an unspecified number of Patriot Advanced Capability-3 (PAC-3) missile interceptors. It will upgrade the PAC-2 launchers into more advanced PAC-3 launchers, country’s Defence Acquisition Program Administration (DAPA) notified in a statement on May 30. 

"This project is expected to ensure the Patriot system's effective air defense with regard to the Seoul metropolitan area and key national facilities, and enhance its ballistic missile interception capabilities," DAPA said in a press release.

Seoul’s ramping up its defence capabilities comes after North fired three ballistic missiles, including intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) last week in an efforts to diversify its nuclear capabilities. Seoul’s PAC-2 system uses a blast-fragmentation warhead that can intercept and destroy the hostile targets at an altitude of approximately 20 kilometers. PAC-3 deploys "hit-to-kill" technology that can intercept incoming missile at altitude of 40 kilometres. South Korea also approved a mine-sweeping helicopter that could neutralize the mines in the sea. The country will invest 970 billion won to procure the helicopters by 2030.

North fired ballistic missiles with irregular trajectory

Just this week, North Korea tested a ballistic missile with irregular trajectory never seen before which is being investigated by the US intelligence. DPRK's projectiles flew in a ‘double arc' trajectory to an unknown target, while one of the missiles flew in an unusual manner, Japan’s Defence Minister said in a statement. US Secretary of State Antony Blinken, South Korean Foreign Minister Park Jin and Japanese Foreign Minister Yoshimasa Hayashi said in a joint statement that the United States, the ROK, and Japan was deeply concerned about DPRK launches of an intercontinental ballistic missile and shorter-range ballistic missiles. Due to their ‘double arc trajectory’, the missiles were seen ascending and descending twice. The officials claimed that with the test, the Kim administration aimed to test DPRK’s ability to fire a missile and then have it re-enter the earth’s atmosphere to reach a target.