US Agrees to Sell ‘Bunker Buster’ Bombs to South Korea

Bombs Could Target North Korean Bunkers

A South Korean military official revealed today that the United States has agreed to provide the nation with a supply of “bunker-buster” bombs. The bombs would be capable of penetrating 20 ft of concrete, and could potentially be used to attack North Korean underground facilities. The bombs would be delivered between 2010 and 2014.

With tensions high on the Korean Peninsula, there is increasing speculation that the Korean War, technically still ongoing but in a state of armistice since 1953, may be about to resume.

North Korea conducted a nuclear weapons test a week ago Monday, provoking international condemnation and growing concern at the nation’s offensive capability. Russia has been taking precautionary measures since the test, fearing a nuclear war.

The North has also conducted a series of short-range missile tests, and is reportedly preparing to test a long-range ballistic missile which might be capable of hitting US targets in the Pacific Ocean. US armament of the South Koreans seems to be aimed at preparing for that possibility.

Author: Jason Ditz

Jason Ditz is Senior Editor for Antiwar.com. He has 20 years of experience in foreign policy research and his work has appeared in The American Conservative, Responsible Statecraft, Forbes, Toronto Star, Minneapolis Star-Tribune, Providence Journal, Washington Times, and the Detroit Free Press.