Seoul conducts ‘successful’ missile interception system test
Seoul, Nov 22 (EFE).- South Korea has successfully conducted a missile interception test of its Long-range Surface-to-Air Missile (L-SAM) system, according to military sources cited by the local Yonhap news agency on Tuesday.
The recent test of hitting target missiles was successful following a flight testing in early February, it added.
In principle, the trial represents a win for the ongoing development of one of the so-called “three axes” that make up South Korea’s defense plan against possible attacks from the North, and comes amid Pyongyang’s record number of launches in recent weeks, including an intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) last Friday.
The L-SAM system is part of the Korean Air and Missile Defense, designed to trace and shoot down missiles heading towards South Korea, at an altitude of 50-60 kilometers.
The other two axes are the Kill Chain pre-emptive strike system, using surface-to-surface and ship-to-surface missiles, and the Korea Massive Punishment and Retaliation plan, intended to launch missiles at the North Korean regime in response to an attack.
The South Korean Agency for Defense Development (ADD) plans to complete the development of the L-SAM system in 2024 and have it operational at the earliest in 2027.
The ADD also announced another project, led by the South Korean company LIG Nex1 and currently budgeted at around 24.4 billion won (about $18 million), for a system to interfere with the remote control signal of enemy drones in 2026.
These latest moves come amid repeated North Korean weapons tests and large-scale drills by Seoul and Washington, and the possibility that, as indicated by satellites, the Kim Jong-un regime is ready to carry out its first nuclear test since 2017. EFE
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