Operational personnel from a unit of the Republic of Korea Air Force on May 13 erect a launch pad for the homegrown Cheongung-II, a homegrown mid-range surface-to-air missile system. (Ministry of National Defense)
By Yoo Yeon Gyeong
The Cheongung-II, a homegrown mid-range surface-to-air missile system (M-SAM-II), has begun operations.
The Ministry of National Defense on Aug. 3 said the first batch of Cheongung-II under this year’s M-SAM-II plan on Aug. 1 was deployed at a missile defense battery in Gyeonggi-do Province to boost defense capabilities against North Korea’s nuclear and missile threats.
The M-SAM-II system is designed for lower-tier defense in the terminal phase of a ballistic missile’s descent toward its target. Since 2020, the military has run the system in phases.
Kim Ki-young, director general of the ministry’s Military Force Policy Bureau, said, “By integrating advanced defense science and technology, we will set up a comprehensive and multi-layered air defense system to respond rapidly and accurately to the increasingly sophisticated range of aerial threats.”
dusrud21@korea.kr
