South Korea's Defense White Paper 2022 will include the abolished term “three-pillar system,” referring to a locally-developed system designed to counter North Korea's missile and nuclear threats.
A military official told reporters on Thursday that the government has decided to revive the term in the defense white paper, and it will be used by the defense ministry when making official announcements.
The term “three-pillar system” had been used by prior conservative governments, but was effectively abolished during the preceding Moon Jae-in administration in consideration of inter-Korean relations.
The three-pillar system refers to South Korea's strategy to boost defense capabilities against North Korea's missile and nuclear threats through three pillars – the Kill Chain preemptive strike system, the Korean Air and Missile Defense System(KAMD) and the Korea Massive Punishment and Retaliation(KMPR) system.
The move is widely seen as part of the Yoon administration's efforts to dramatically reinforce defense capabilities against the North, which is listed as one of its 110 major national tasks.