South Korea unveils its most powerful missile, which could reach North Korea's underground bunkers

South Korea unveils its most powerful missile, which could reach North Korea’s underground bunkers

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The Hyunmoo, surface-to-surface missile, march during a celebration to mark 76th anniversary of Korea Armed Forces Day, in Seongnam, South Korea, Tuesday, Oct.1, 2024. (Kim Hong-Ji/Pool Photo via AP)

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South Korea’s missiles are paraded during the media day for the 76th anniversary of Armed Forces Day at Seoul air base in Seongnam, South Korea, Wednesday, Sept. 25, 2024. (AP Photo/Ahn Young-joon)

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A quadruped robot marches during a celebration to mark the 76th anniversary of Korea Armed Forces Day in Seongnam, South Korea Tuesday, Oct. 1, 2024. (Kim Hong-Ji/Pool Photo via AP)

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A U.S. Air Force B1 Bomber flies with South Korean Air Force’s F-15K fighter jets during a celebration to mark 76th anniversary of Korea Armed Forces Day, in Seongnam, South Korea, Tuesday, Oct.1, 2024. (Kim Hong-Ji/Pool Photo via AP)

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Members of the Special Warfare Command give a demonstration of their skills in the traditional Korean martial art of taekwondo during a celebration to mark 76th anniversary of Korea Armed Forces Day, in Seongnam, South Korea, Tuesday, Oct.1, 2024. (Kim Hong-Ji/Pool Photo via AP)

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A South Korean army Apache helicopter fires flares during a celebration to mark 76th anniversary of Korea Armed Forces Day, in Seongnam, South Korea, Tuesday, Oct.1, 2024. (Kim Hong-Ji/Pool Photo via AP)

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Cadets march during a celebration to mark 76th anniversary of Korea Armed Forces Day, in Seongnam, South Korea, Tuesday, Oct.1, 2024. (Kim Hong-Ji/Pool Photo via AP)

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The Black Eagles, the aerobatic team of T-50 jets belonging to South Korea’s Air Force, perform during a celebration to mark 76th anniversary of Korea Armed Forces Day, in Seongnam, South Korea, Tuesday, Oct.1, 2024. (Kim Hong-Ji/Pool Photo via AP)

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South Korean special army soldiers parachute down during the media day for the 76th anniversary of Armed Forces Day at Seoul air base in Seongnam, South Korea, Wednesday, Sept. 25, 2024. (AP Photo/Ahn Young-joon)

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Members of South Korean Air Force’s honor guards attend a celebration to mark 76th anniversary of Korea Armed Forces Day, in Seongnam, South Korea, Tuesday, Oct.1, 2024. (Kim Hong-Ji/Pool Photo via AP)

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Members of the Special Warfare Command parachute as 123-storey skyscraper Lotte World Tower is seen in the background during a celebration to mark 76th anniversary of Korea Armed Forces Day, in Seongnam, South Korea, Tuesday, Oct.1, 2024. (Kim Hong-Ji/Pool Photo via AP)

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South Korean soldiers salute during the media day for the 76th anniversary of Armed Forces Day at Seoul air base in Seongnam, South Korea, Wednesday, Sept. 25, 2024. (AP Photo/Ahn Young-joon)

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South Korean soldiers march during the media day for the 76th anniversary of Armed Forces Day at Seoul air base in Seongnam, South Korea, Wednesday, Sept. 25, 2024. (AP Photo/Ahn Young-joon)

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South Korean military helicopters fly over armored vehicles during the media day for the 76th anniversary of Armed Forces Day at Seoul air base in Seongnam, South Korea, Wednesday, Sept. 25, 2024. (AP Photo/Ahn Young-joon)

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South Korean army soldiers demonstrate their martial arts skills during the media day for the 76th anniversary of Armed Forces Day at Seoul air base in Seongnam, South Korea, Wednesday, Sept. 25, 2024. (AP Photo/Ahn Young-joon)

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South Korean mechanized unit personnel parade with their armored vehicles during the media day for the 76th anniversary of Armed Forces Day at Seoul air base in Seongnam, South Korea, Wednesday, Sept. 25, 2024. (AP Photo/Ahn Young-joon)

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South Korean special army soldiers parachute down from a plane during the media day for the 76th anniversary of Armed Forces Day at Seoul air base in Seongnam, South Korea, Wednesday, Sept. 25, 2024. (AP Photo/Ahn Young-joon)

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South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol salutes after delivering his speech during a celebration to mark the 76th anniversary of Korea Armed Forces Day in Seongnam, South Korea Tuesday, Oct. 1, 2024. (Kim Hong-Ji/Pool Photo via AP)

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South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol delivers his speech during a celebration to mark the 76th anniversary of Korea Armed Forces Day in Seongnam, South Korea Tuesday, Oct. 1, 2024. (Kim Hong-Ji/Pool Photo via AP)

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South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol, center, arrives for a celebration to mark the 76th anniversary of Korea Armed Forces Day in Seongnam, South Korea Tuesday, Oct. 1, 2024. (Kim Hong-Ji/Pool Photo via AP)

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South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol, center right, and his wife Kim Keon Hee attend a celebration to mark the 76th anniversary of Korea Armed Forces Day in Seongnam, South Korea Tuesday, Oct. 1, 2024. (Kim Hong-Ji/Pool Photo via AP)

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South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol, right, inspects South Korean troops during a celebration to mark the 76th anniversary of Korea Armed Forces Day in Seongnam, South Korea Tuesday, Oct. 1, 2024. (Kim Hong-Ji/Pool Photo via AP)

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South Korean army’s K2 tanks take part in a parade during the 76th Armed Forces Day ceremony in Seoul, South Korea, Tuesday, Oct. 1, 2024. (AP Photo/Ahn Young-joon)

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U.S. Army soldiers take part in a parade during the 76th Armed Forces Day ceremony in Seoul, South Korea, Tuesday, Oct. 1, 2024. (AP Photo/Ahn Young-joon)

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South Korea’s missiles are carried in a parade during the 76th Armed Forces Day ceremony in Seoul, South Korea, Tuesday, Oct. 1, 2024. (AP Photo/Ahn Young-joon)

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South Korea’s missiles are carried in a parade during the 76th Armed Forces Day ceremony in Seoul, South Korea, Tuesday, Oct. 1, 2024. (AP Photo/Ahn Young-joon)

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South Korea’s “Cheongung” missiles are carried in a parade during the 76th Armed Forces Day ceremony in Seoul, South Korea, Tuesday, Oct. 1, 2024. (AP Photo/Ahn Young-joon)

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South Korean army soldiers take part in a parade during the 76th Armed Forces Day ceremony in Seoul, South Korea, Tuesday, Oct. 1, 2024. (AP Photo/Ahn Young-joon)

By HYUNG-JIN KIM

SEOUL, South Korea (AP) — South Korea unveiled its most powerful ballistic missile and other weapons that could target North Korea during a massive Armed Forces Day ceremony on Tuesday, as the South’s president warned the North’s regime would collapse if it attempts to use nuclear weapons.

South Korea’s weapons displays and warning against North Korea came after its northern rival recently rose regional animosities by disclosing its uranium-enrichment facility and tested missiles ahead of the U.S. presidential election in November.

“If North Korea attempts to use nuclear weapons, it will face the resolute and overwhelming response of our military and the (South Korea)-U.S. alliance,” President Yoon Suk Yeol told thousands of troops gathered at a military airport near Seoul. “That day will be the end of the North Korean regime.”

“The North Korean regime must abandon the delusion that nuclear weapons will protect them,” Yoon said.

During the ceremony, the South Korean military displayed about 340 military equipment and weapons systems. Among them was its most powerful Hyunmoo-5 ballistic missile, which observers say is capable of carrying an 8-ton conventional warhead that can penetrate deep into the earth and destroy underground bunkers in North Korea.

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It was the first time for South Korea to disclose that missile.

The United States flew a long-range B-1B bomber during the ceremony in an apparent demonstration of its security commitment to its Asian ally. South Korea also flew some of its most advanced fighter jets.

Later Tuesday, South Korea paraded its troops and weapons through the streets of Seoul, the country’s capital, as part of efforts to boost military morale and demonstrate its deterrence capabilities against potential North Korean aggressions.

Since taking office in 2022, Yoon, a conservative, has put a stronger military alliance with the U.S. and an improved trilateral Seoul-Washington-Tokyo security cooperation at the center of his security polices to cope with North Korea’s advancing nuclear program. In recent years, North Korea has performed a provocative run of missile tests and threatened to use nuclear weapons preemptively in potential conflicts with South Korea and the United States.

Last month, concerns about North Korea’s bomb program further grew after it published photos of a secretive facility to enrich uranium for nuclear weapons. It was North Korea’s first unveiling of a uranium-enrichment facility since it showed one at the country’s main Yongbyon nuclear complex to visiting American scholars in 2010.

South Korean officials say North Korea will likely try to further dial up tensions with high-profile weapons tests ahead of the U.S. election to increase its leverage in future diplomacy with a new U.S. government. Experts say North Korea likely thinks an expanded nuclear arsenal would help it win bigger U.S. concessions like extensive sanctions relief.

Earlier Tuesday, North Korea’s vice defense minister, Kim Kang Il, slammed the U.S. for its temporary deployments of powerful military assets to South Korea and vowed strong responses. He cited the recent visit of a U.S. nuclear-powered submarine and Tuesday’s B-1B flyover.

Kim threatened to bolster North Korea’s “powerful war deterrent,” an apparent reference to its nuclear capability, and take unspecified steps to stoke security concerns to the security of the U.S. mainland. Observers say his comments implies North Korea may consider test-firing an intercontinental ballistic missile capable of reaching the U.S. mainland.

Also Tuesday, South Korea launched its strategic command meant to deal with North Korea’s nuclear weapons program. Seoul officials say the command integrates South Korea’s conventional capabilities with U.S. nuclear weapons. South Korea has no nuclear weapons.

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Follow AP’s Asia-Pacific coverage at https://apnews.com/hub/asia-pacific

HYUNG-JIN KIM

Hyung-jin is an Associated Press reporter in Seoul, South Korea. He reports on security, political and other general news on the Korean Peninsula.