South Korea's martial law unveils military prowess
On December 3rd, the current President of South Korea, Yoon Suk-yeol, declared martial law. Although this event was prompted by the actions of the opposition and not a hostile nation, it has become an opportunity to highlight the military strength of the country. We explain what the South Korean army possesses and which weapons in its arsenal deserve special recognition.
The claims that South Korea is one of the world's largest military powers have a solid basis. Seoul maintains constant readiness to defend its territories from a potential attack from the north. According to the Global Firepower ranking, South Korea has the fifth most powerful army in the world, thanks not only to the sizable number of troops (over 600,000 soldiers) but mainly to its equipment.
Army largely based on domestic equipment
A significant portion of the South Korean army's equipment comes from its own defence factories, mainly concerning ammunition, armoured vehicles, and artillery systems. Some of this equipment, such as K2 tanks and K9 Thunder howitzers, has become much more recognizable in recent years due to the boom in South Korean exports.
K2 tanks are a flagship example of the capabilities of the South Korean defence industry and the most modern such machines in the local army. Designed in the 21st century, this equipment is armed with a 120-mm smoothbore gun and features an automatic loading system. It remains in operation alongside the older, also South Korean, K1 tank developed in the 1980s, which constitutes the majority of the inventory of over 2,500 tanks in South Korea's possession.
The most modern of South Korea's infantry fighting vehicles, produced since 2009, is the K21, which employs fibreglass components, reducing the vehicle's weight and allowing for higher speeds.
Artillery is also key for Korea
Due to the geographical conditions of the Korean Peninsula, the South Korean army has a very large number of various mortars and howitzers, which are extremely useful during combat in the mountains that cover a significant portion of the country.
An example of such a weapon is the KH179 towed howitzer, which uses 155-mm calibre shells. Additionally, Seoul has large reserves of 105-mm calibre artillery and has over 1,000 self-propelled artillery systems, including the latest K9 Thunder 155-mm calibre systems.
"International" Air Force
The South Korean Air Force presents a more "international" image. Within it, there can be found many modern and highly regarded aircraft worldwide.
This includes primarily the American F-35 and F-16, as well as the F-15K Slam Eagle. In the context of transport and reconnaissance aviation, South Korea also relies on American equipment (including the Boeing 737 AEW&C and Lockheed C-130 Hercules). Products of the domestic industry are, among others, the KAI T-50 Golden Eagle.
Leading ammunition producer
The strength of the South Korean army also lies in its enormous reserves of 105-mm and 155-mm calibre artillery ammunition, which, as shown by the war in Ukraine, remains invaluable.
In defence factories across South Korea, not only basic 155-mm calibre artillery shells containing 7 kg of TNT with a range of about 30 km are produced, but also more advanced shells equipped with cluster warheads and shells with gas generators, providing greater range.
Ballistic and cruise missiles
South Korea is also capable of producing ballistic and cruise missiles from the Hyunmoo family. A worthy mention is the Hyunmoo-3, a cruise missile capable of reaching speeds up to Mach 1.2 and striking targets as far as 3,000 km away. All such missiles were designed to carry conventional warheads.
Legacy Soviet equipment heading to scrap. What's next?
Among the military equipment used by South Korea, an increasingly smaller percentage consists of weapons supplied within trade deals by Russia. These included anti-tank guided missiles, as well as dozens of BMP-3 infantry fighting vehicles and T-80 tanks.
The significance of Soviet-era equipment in South Korea is already so minimal that recently BMP-3 vehicles and T-80 tanks began to be used in exercises as targets for kamikaze drones.
On the other hand, South Korea is systematically developing its fleet (as confirmed in early 2024; it already has over 20 submarines) and is looking into new battlefield trends. This is manifested by a growing interest in drones.
