{"id":2203756,"date":"2024-02-08T08:00:03","date_gmt":"2024-02-07T23:00:03","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/koreapro.org\/?p=2203756"},"modified":"2024-02-07T20:34:34","modified_gmt":"2024-02-07T11:34:34","slug":"south-koreas-defense-strategy-takes-flight-with-saudi-missile-sale","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/koreapro.org\/2024\/02\/south-koreas-defense-strategy-takes-flight-with-saudi-missile-sale\/","title":{"rendered":"South Korea\u2019s defense strategy takes flight with Saudi missile sale"},"content":{"rendered":"

South Korea\u2019s Ministry of National Defense <\/span>announced<\/span><\/a> on Tuesday that LIG Nex1, a Korean defense firm, has secured a $3.2 billion contract to supply Saudi Arabia with mid-range Cheongung M-SAM II surface-to-air missiles. The agreement, finalized in November, positions LIG Nex1 for its second international sale of the Cheongung-II system, following a <\/span>previous deal<\/span><\/a> with the United Arab Emirates in Jan. 2022. The missile system is designed to intercept threats at altitudes up to 25 miles (40 kilometers), enhancing defensive capabilities against artillery and aircraft.<\/span><\/p>\n

In conjunction with the arms deal, South Korea and Saudi Arabia signed a <\/span>memorandum of understanding<\/span><\/a> (MOU) to foster defense industry cooperation and joint weapons development. This MOU, signed during the World Defense Show in Riyadh, establishes a bilateral committee for the research and development of weapons systems, marking a step toward deepening defense ties between the two nations.<\/span><\/p>\n

Why It Matters<\/b><\/p>\n

The defense agreement between South Korea and Saudi Arabia, paired with an MOU to enhance defense industry cooperation and joint development, highlights a deepening of ties between the two countries. This move is the latest sign of close cooperation between Seoul and Riyadh. Aramco, Saudi Arabia\u2019s public petroleum and natural gas company, <\/span>awarded a contract<\/span><\/a> in June 2023 to Hyundai Engineering & Construction Company to build the kingdom\u2019s largest petrochemical complex.<\/span><\/p>\n

While LIG Nex1 is responsible for manufacturing the missile interceptors, Hanwha Systems will provide the advanced multifunction active electronically scanned array <\/span>(AESA) radar<\/span><\/a>. This customization will help to target the specific threat of small, drone-like objects, such as Iran\u2019s Shahed drones used by various militia groups, including Houthi rebels against <\/span>Saudi oil facilities<\/span><\/a>.<\/span><\/p>\n

Prior to heading to Saudi Arabia, South Korean defense minister Shin Won-sik <\/span>visited the United Arab Emirates<\/span><\/a> (UAE) to meet with his UAE counterpart, Mohammed bin Mubarak Al Mazrouei, and discussed ways to boost bilateral defense ties. These steps align with President Yoon Suk-yeol\u2019s 2022 <\/span>pledge<\/span><\/a> to build South Korea\u2019s weapons industry into the world\u2019s fourth-largest arms exporter by 2027.<\/span><\/p>\n

Business & Economy<\/span><\/a>Defense & Security<\/span><\/a>Inter-Korean & Foreign Relations<\/span><\/a>Technology & Cyber<\/span><\/a><\/div>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

South Korea\u2019s Ministry of National Defense announced on Tuesday that LIG Nex1, a Korean defense firm, has secured a $3.2 billion contract to supply Saudi Arabia with mid-range Cheongung M-SAM II surface-to-air missiles. The agreement, finalized in November, positions LIG Nex1 for its second international sale of the Cheongung-II system, following a previous deal with […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":10407,"featured_media":2203758,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"inline_featured_image":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[30],"tags":[24,26,28,29],"yoast_head":"\nSouth Korea\u2019s defense strategy takes flight with Saudi missile sale - KOREA PRO<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/koreapro.org\/2024\/02\/south-koreas-defense-strategy-takes-flight-with-saudi-missile-sale\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"South Korea\u2019s defense strategy takes flight with Saudi missile sale - KOREA PRO\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"South Korea\u2019s Ministry of National Defense announced on Tuesday that LIG Nex1, a Korean defense firm, has secured a $3.2 billion contract to supply Saudi Arabia with mid-range Cheongung M-SAM II surface-to-air missiles. 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