Seoul forming new missile unit to take down North Korean artillery sites

SEOUL, March 19 (UPI) -- South Korea plans to set up a new guided missile unit that can take down North Korea's long-range artillery sites.

Local broadcaster KBS reported that the South Korean army will combine its first and third military headquarters to launch a new ground operation command in October.

Under the new command, an artillery force will be established and armed with tactical ground-to-ground guided missiles that are capable of striking large targets within a short period of time.

A single launch pad can fire four missiles in a matter of seconds, with the rockets capable of traveling more than 93 miles.

Equipped with a precision guidance function, the missiles are said to be ideal for targeting North Korea's long-range artillery concentrated along the military demarcation line.

Experts say the artillery brigade will also be able to curb enemy threats at an early stage and thermobaric weapons attached onto the warheads could potentially incinerate everything inside a targeted mineshaft.

The military also plans to add brigade-level forces to the missile command, which operates ballistic missiles, including the homegrown Hyunmoo model, indicating a shift in the army's operational concept from defensive to offensive, according to KBS.