Rocket launchers firing during a test of weapons in an undisclosed location in North Korea. (AFP)
International Military - Tensions between North Korea and South Korea which have escalated recently have made South Korea try to anticipate things that are not desirable. For this reason, it was reported that North Korea continued to carry out missile tests which worried South Korea's peace last January.
Not only South Korea, the US and Japan are also concerned about North Korea's actions which are considered to endanger the security of neighboring countries. North Korea was even explicitly asked to carry out further negotiations with the US regarding its missile testing.
Criticism and criticism have come from various quarters for North Korea to negotiate and stop its dangerous missile tests. But as if ignoring the various criticisms that came, the North Korean side continued to improve its weapons capabilities.
A series of missile tests also made the public wonder what steps South Korea would take to anticipate this.
In response, South Korea is trying to improve its defense by developing missile interceptor technology. The interceptor was developed by South Korea to anticipate tensions over a series of North Korean missile tests.
According to Yonhap News, next week South Korea plans to test a long-range surface-to-air missile (L-SAM) which is under development. The South Korean-run Defense Development Agency will conduct the launch at a test site in Taean, 150 km southwest of Seoul.
The South's military had attempted to deploy interceptors in 2016 as part of its country's low-level missile defense programme. The L-SAM is designed to shoot down incoming missiles at an altitude of about 50-60 km.
The launch plan comes amid assumptions that the South Korean military can advance the timing of the deployment of the L-SAM. The L-SAM interceptor will be a key part of South Korea's anti-missile program which includes Patriot Advanced Capability-3 missiles and medium-range surface-to-air missiles. US Korean troops are also running THAAD anti-missile missiles in South Korea.
THAAD was first deployed in South Korea in 2017 to prevent North Korea's nuclear and missile provocations. THAAD can fend off various threatening objects in the air at very high speeds.
The two interceptors are an attempt by South Korea to protect the security of its citizens from the threat of North Korean missiles.