Politics

South Korea successfully tests long-range interceptor missile

Seoul, Feb 23 (EFE).- South Korea on Wednesday successfully tested the long-range surface-to-air missile L-SAM, a system under development to intercept enemy projectiles, military sources told Yonhap agency.

The test launch was carried out by the country’s defense development agency in Taean, 150 kilometers southeast of Seoul.

Although the details of the test are unknown, it was allegedly intended to check the L-SAM can fly on a set trajectory and land at a designated location.

The production of this system, designed to intercept projectiles at heights of between 50 kilometers and 60 kilometers, was approved to reinforce anti-missile defense systems in the face of the continuous development of projectiles by North Korea.

The apparent advance of the test launch of the L-SAM, whose deployment was initially scheduled for 2026, could respond to the large number of tests (including hypersonic missiles) carried out in January by North Korea. Pyongyang has recently been testing projectiles increasingly difficult to detect and intercept.

The L-SAM would be integrated with other anti-missile shields that South Korea already has, which has medium-range surface-to-air missiles, or the PAC-3 system.

United States troops deployed in South Korea have also operated their own anti-missile system within the country since 2017. EFE

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