In the last few months, the Korean Peninsula has seen more missile launches and artillery fire than any other period since the Korean War, providing a more concrete picture of what armed conflict between the rival Koreas could look like in the 21st century.

In preparation for the possibility of conventional and nuclear North Korean attacks, South Korea has devised the so-called three-axis system. This consists of Kill Chain, Korea Air and Missile Defense (KAMD) and Korea Massive Punishment and Retaliation (KMPR).

The Kill Chain is South Korea’s strategy for responding to an initial