The South Korean military has begun deploying the high-power, surface‑to‑surface Hyunmoo‑5 ballistic missile, often referred to as the "monster missile" for its eight‑ton warhead.

According to military sources on Sunday, deployment of the "bunker buster" missile, designed to deter and respond to major North Korean attacks, started late last year and is expected to be completed before the end of the Lee Jae‑myung administration in June 2030.

The military first unveiled the Hyunmoo‑5 during an Armed Forces Day ceremony in 2024, though key specifications were withheld due to strategic sensitivity.

Defense Minister Ahn Gyu‑back said in October that the military planned to begin mass production of the missile and increase output to establish what he described as a "balance of terror" with North Korea.

The missile is a core component of the Korea Massive Punishment and Retaliation program, part of the nation's three‑axis defense strategy that also includes the Kill Chain preemptive strike system and the Korea Air and Missile Defense network.

The military is expected to acquire hundreds of Hyunmoo‑5 missiles, along with upgraded variants currently under development.