South Korea’s ‘Kill Web’ concept to neutralize North Korean threats
FORUM Staff
To counter threats from North Korea’s emerging nuclear and missile capabilities, the Republic of Korea (ROK) military introduced the “Kill Web” concept in March 2023 to prevent missile strikes, according to news reports.
Kill Web entails a layered, integrated structure that uses cyber operations, electronic warfare and other cutting-edge capabilities across all defense domains to disrupt and preempt the North Korean regime’s activities before it can launch a missile or other attack, South Korea’s Yonhap News Agency reported.
The South Korean Defense Ministry announced the initiative under President Yoon Suk Yeol’s Defense Innovation 4.0 plan to leverage artificial intelligence and other technologies to create a smarter, stronger and more resilient force, Yonhap reported.
The Kill Web concept will augment South Korea’s existing preemptive strike system, known as the Kill Chain, which is part of the nation’s three-pronged deterrence strategy. The strategy also includes the Korea Air and Missile Defense system and an operational plan to incapacitate the North Korean leadership in the event of a conflict, The Defense Post website reported.
“The Kill Chain concept is to proceed in a single direction,” a South Korean official told reporters, speaking on the condition of anonymity. “But the Kill Web, like a spider’s web, entails frequent mission adjustments to ensure the operational effectiveness.” It also is a flexible approach that empowers officers in the field to adjust to optimize operations, The Defense Post reported.
