South Korea has completed its missile interceptor system to counter threats from North Korea

South Korea announced on Friday the successful completion of its new ballistic missile interceptor, enhancing its defense capabilities against missile threats from North Korea.

This development follows North Korea’s recent designation of South Korea as a “hostile state,” marking a significant shift from decades of policy aimed at unification and escalating tensions through aggressive rhetoric throughout the year.

The Long-range Surface-to-Air Missile (LSAM) is engineered to intercept incoming ballistic missiles or aircraft at altitudes exceeding 40 km (25 miles) during the terminal phase of their descent, according to the defense ministry.

After a decade of development, the L-SAM is expected to become operational in the mid to late 2020s, with mass production set to commence in 2025, as stated by the ministry.

“This advanced weapon system is designed to intercept enemy missiles at high altitudes, thereby minimizing potential damage on the ground and enhancing our military’s missile defense capabilities across broader areas and higher altitudes,” the statement noted.

The new system will complement the existing U.S. Patriot missile and the domestically developed Cheongung II medium-range interceptor, both of which are currently in operation, as reported by South Korea’s Agency for Defense Development (ADD).

Similar to the U.S. Terminal High Altitude Area Defense (THAAD) system, which is stationed in South Korea, the L-SAM employs a “hit-to-kill” strategy, utilizing sophisticated technology to accurately adjust its trajectory to engage incoming threats, the ministry explained.

North Korea has conducted a series of ballistic missile tests over the last five years, progressively enhancing its missile capabilities, including shorter-range systems aimed at targets within South Korea, which Pyongyang considers its “primary adversary.”

The two nations have experienced confrontations, including naval skirmishes, and in 2010, an artillery strike from the North hit a South Korean island. However, North Korea has not yet launched a missile directly at South Korea.

In 2022, a short-range ballistic missile launched from the North’s eastern coast crossed the de facto maritime boundary, landing in international waters, which led South Korea to respond with its own missile launches.