Newly Deployed Cheongung-II Units Begin Missions; Military Pledges Multi-Tiered Defense System

The South Korean military announced today that this year's scheduled deployment of the domestic mid-range surface-to-air guided missile Cheongung-II, which handles lower-tier defense within the nation's missile defense system, has begun its operational missions.

According to the Ministry of National Defense, the first equipment from the Cheongung-II deployment plan was deployed to a missile defense battery in Gyeonggi Province last May. Following simulation training reflecting actual battery operational environments, it officially began its missions on the 1st.

The military explained that the expansion of Cheongung-II operating units has further strengthened the lower-tier defense capability during the terminal phase of ballistic missiles. Furthermore, when the long-range surface-to-air guided weapon L-SAM is fielded in the late 2020s, a multi-tiered defense system encompassing both the upper and lower tiers of the terminal phase will be established.

Currently, the U.S.-made Patriot PAC-3 and the domestic Cheongung-II handle lower-tier defense at altitudes below 40 km, while the L-SAM can intercept ballistic missiles in the preceding upper tier.

The military is also developing next-generation interception systems, including the Cheongung-III with enhanced engagement capabilities, the L-SAM-II with an increased interception altitude, and a long-range artillery interception system capable of responding to North Korea's long-range artillery. It is also considering the development of high-power laser weapons as a means of missile defense.

Kim Ki-young, Director General for Force Policy at the Ministry of National Defense, stated, "We will field subsequent batches without a hitch to further strengthen our military's missile response capabilities." He added, "By pooling advanced defense science and technology capabilities, we will complete an overlapping, complex, and multi-layered defense system capable of responding rapidly and accurately to increasingly sophisticated and diverse aerial threats."

(Photo: Yonhap News)
※ Please note: This article was translated by AI and may contain errors.