US, South Korea Plan To Detect, Disrupt, Destroy North's Missiles

The US and South Korea have jointly considered implementing plan to detect, disrupt and destroy North Korean missiles carrying nuclear as well as biochemical warheads.

US Secretary of Defense Ashton Carter and South Korean Defense Minister Han Min Koo approved the implementation of a plan if needed; following the raising attack threats of North Korea.

The plan, based on conceptual scenarios of a North Korean attack, emphasizes the rising urgency among US as well as South Korean officials to be prepared if the North Korea obtains the ability to tip a missile with a nuclear warhead, Bloomberg reported today.

In September this year, North Korea stated that it was willing to carry out a nuclear attack on its enemies at any point. It also confirmed the resumption of operations at its main nuclear facility.

"We spoke candidly today about North Korean threats nuclear weapons, ballistic missiles, cyber, conventional military threats,” Carter said at a joint press conference with Han Min-goo, the South Korean defense minister.

“Those threats continue to put at risk the peace and security of the peninsula, the region as well as the US.” Han added.

South Korea has estimated that North Korea has 2,500 tons to 5,000 tons of chemical weapons.

North Korea also possesses an arsenal of missiles that it says can strike the US. The nation conducted its third nuclear test in 2013 and threatened this year to conduct a fourth one.

Carter’s talks with Han coincided with the first bilateral summit between South Korean President Park Geun Hye and Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe in Seoul.