Topic: 2026 – Proliferation of Ballistic Missiles
Country: Republic of Korea
Delegate Name: Anish Kulkarni
Committee: Disarmament and International Security Committee
Topic: Proliferation of Ballistic Missiles
Country: Republic of Korea
Delegate Name: Anish Kulkarni
The global security environment continues to be shaped by the growing proliferation of ballistic missiles and rapid evolution of aerospace technology. Since their introduction in World War II, ballistic missiles have become advanced delivery systems capable of striking targets across intercontinental distances. Their expanding scope, velocity, and payload capacity further has exacerbated the risks associated with their employment to civilian populations, critical infrastructure, and regional stability. The Republic of Korea has seen ballistic missiles used as tools for coercion, deterrence, and military engagements, intensifying today’s geopolitical climate and diplomatic efforts. While international efforts like the Missile Technology Control Regime (MTCR) and the Hague Code of Conduct Against Ballistic Missile Proliferation help to promote transparency and norm developments regarding these weapons; their non-binding nature limits enforcement and leaves significant gaps in compliance. For the Republic of Korea, a nation that exists in a region constantly under the threat of attack from adverse regional nations, the threat of ballistic missile proliferation is immediate and tangible. As such, the Republic of Korea believes that global missile policy should be directly linked towards regional security, cooperative risk-reduction efforts, and responsible technological innovation while protecting peaceful scientific research and space exploration.
The Republic of Korea has maintained a defensive missile and missile-defence, as a necessary component of deterrence, to protect civilian lives in a volatile regional security environment. Republic of Korea’s Ministry of National Defense prioritizes credible deterrence, precision-focused capabilities, and responsible military planning aimed at preventing escalation rather than encouraging conflict. Conducted modernization efforts, such as the conventional bunker-penetration systems, are framed as defensive measures intended to neutralize military threats and reduce the likelihood of large-scale war through credible deterrence. In parallel, the Republic of Korea remains committed to nonproliferation and responsible technology governance through participation in export control and international transparency measures, while safeguarding its right to self-defense. The advanced civilian aerospace sector, led by the Korea Aerospace Research Institute (KARI) has used intercontinental ballistic missiles to advance satellite programs, further lunar exploration, and launch vehicles sich as the Nuri Rocket, demonstrating a commitment to peaceful scientific innovation. The Republic of Korea has also further reinforced deterrence through cooperative security arrangements with the United States while promoting diplomacy, transparency, and regional stability.
As a result of committed policy to the matter, the Republic of Korea suggests three policy-driven solutions, grounded in national experience, to this committee. First supporting a Multilateral Missile Transparency Initiative (MMTI) that expands standardized pre-launch notifications, voluntary reporting of missile inventories, and regional crisis communication hotlines to reduce escalation. Second, the Republic of Korea advocates for a Responsible Technology Governance and Innovation Framework (RTGIF) that promotes satellite-based monitoring, data-sharing, and protects peaceful aerospace research and global scientific development. Lastly, the Republic of Korea proposes a Global-Regional Missile Security Risk Reduction Mechanism including early warning data-sharing, missile testing guidelines, and annual diplomatic dialogues designed to reduce tensions while preserving deterrence initiatives.
The Republic of Korea remains committed to finding a pragmatic approach that balances credible deterrence with transparency, responsible technology leadership, and multilateral cooperation for all of the international community.
Works Cited:
Center for Strategic and International Studies. (n.d.). South Korea’s space and missile policy developments. https://aerospace.csis.org
Hague Code of Conduct Against Ballistic Missile Proliferation. (n.d.). HCOC. https://www.hcoc.at
International Institute for Strategic Studies. (2024). Missile proliferation and control in the Asia‑Pacific region (Research paper). https://www.iiss.org/research-paper/2024/04/missile-proliferation–and-control-in-the-asia-pacific-region
Korea Aerospace Research Institute. (n.d.-a). Danuri lunar orbiter mission. https://www.kari.re.kr/eng
Korea Aerospace Research Institute. (n.d.-b). Korean launch vehicle Nuri & space programs. https://www.kari.re.kr/eng
Missile Technology Control Regime. (n.d.). Official guidelines. https://mtcr.info
Republic of Korea Ministry of National Defense. (n.d.). Defense white paper. https://www.mnd.go.kr
United Nations Office for Disarmament Affairs. (n.d.). Ballistic missile nonproliferation resources. https://disarmament.unoda.org
Wikipedia contributors. (n.d.). South Korea Ballistic Missile Range Guidelines. In Wikipedia. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/South_Korea_Ballistic_Missile_Range_Guidelines
