S.Korea Plans Electromagnetic Pulse, Laser And High-Power Microwave Weapons

South Korea has under development high-power microwave (HPM), electromagnetic pulse (EMP) bombs and laser-based weapons, as part of the government policy of “creative defence”.

HPM, known as “E-bomb,” generates electromagnetic power to damage all electronic devices within a certain radius.

EMP causes severe current and voltage surges to damage electronic devices. South Korea’s Agency for Defense Development has been researching and developing the EMP weapons systems, Korea Herald and several other media reported.

Defense Minister Han Min-koo was quoted as saying that his government would push to incorporate into military operations, information and communication technologies to achieve cost-effective deterrence against North Korea.

These weapons that are designed to disrupt operations of electronic devices and paralyze social infrastructures are called “soft-kill” weapons, compared with “hard-kill” weapons such as missiles that directly strike enemy targets.

The Creative Defence drive also includes developing unmanned battle systems including robots for combat deployment, surveillance tools and unmanned boats that would ensure fewer human losses and greater operational efficiency.