The Haeseong II is a supersonic, ship-launched land-attack cruise missile. It is South Korea’s first supersonic missile, and the second variant developed within the Haeseong cruise missile series. It has a range of approximately 500 km.

Haeseong II Development

South Korea (ROK) reportedly began testing the Haeseong II in September 2007.¹ For reasons unknown, however, South Korea’s Defense Acquisition Program Administration (DAPA) pegs the start of development as late as 2011. The ROK Defense Ministry unveiled the missile on February 14, 2013, following a North Korean nuclear test two days earlier.² The missile was developed by South Korea’s Agency for Defense Development and LIG Nex1.³

The missile was officially developed to target fixed platforms, such as command posts, air bases, and artillery or missile launch pads.⁴ However, Aviation Week’s Kim Minseok and Bradley Perrett argue that reports strictly referring to Haeseong II as a land-attack cruise missile (LACM) appear to be political cover, as the missile “would surely be fired at any suitable targets that had to be eliminated.”⁵ According to one ROK acquisitions official, the missile will “serve as key maritime equipment for the South Korean military’s ‘Kill Chain’ pre-emptive strike system against North Korean provocations.”⁶

Two variants of the missile have been developed. The slant-launched version (SL-Haeseong II), which entered operational service in 2016, is launched from inclined shipboard canisters. ⁷

South Korea also completed development of a vertical-launched version (VL-Haeseong II) in April 2017. This variant is designed to be compatible with the Korean Vertical Launch System (K-VLS), and is expected to enter full production in 2018 and operational service in 2019.⁸

The vertically launched variant has a more powerful launch booster than the SL-variant, but the latter version can be fired from already established Haeseong I launchers.⁹ The K-VLS is not expected to come online until around 2019.

Specifications

The Haeseong II has a launch weight of approximately 700 kg and range of around 500 km.¹⁰ The missile carries submunitions with semi-armor piercing capability.¹¹ The missile employs a turbojet engine which allows it to travel at supersonic speeds (>343 m/s). It incorporates inertial navigation and GPS guidance, and can rapidly generate new flight paths in real time, allowing it to be reassigned a new target after launch.¹²

Service History

The SL-Haeseong II entered operational service in 2016. It is carried on South Korea’s Incheon-class frigates (FFX-I), the 4,500 ton-class Korean Destroyer (KD) vessel, and Sejong the Great-class destroyers (KDX-III).¹³ The KDX-III vessels can carry up to 32 Haeseong IIs.¹⁴

The vertically launched is expected to enter operational service in 2019. It is planned to equip the Daegu (FFX-II) and FFX-III-class frigates, the latter vessel expected to enter service in 2021.¹⁵

Unlike the sea-based Hyunmoo-3C cruise missile, Haeseong II is under control of the South Korean Navy and not the joint chiefs of staff. Its lower range classifies it as a ‘naval’ and not ‘strategic’ weapon.¹⁶