What Kind of Weapon Is Cheongung II, the System Receiving Worldwide Attention? [Current Affairs Show]

■ Broadcast: The Asia Business Daily 'So Jongseop's Current Affairs Show' (Monday to Friday, 4-5 p.m.)

■ Host: Political Specialist So Jongseop ■ Producer: Mayena PD

■ Telephone Interview: Yang Wook, Research Fellow at the Asan Institute for Policy Studies (March 6)

※ Please make sure to cite 'So Jongseop's Current Affairs Show' when quoting content from this article.

So Jongseop: Hello. As the United States launched military operations, the Iranian leadership, including Khamenei, was killed in an explosion. In response, Iran attacked Middle Eastern countries. In this process, one particular defensive weapon drew attention-the South Korean Cheongung II (Cheongung 2) system. We will now connect with Yang Wook, Research Fellow at the Asan Institute for Policy Studies, for more details. Dr. Yang, are you with us?

Yang Wook: Yes, hello.

So Jongseop: The JoongAng Ilbo ran a headline that reads, 'Threw a strike from Cheonan to Jamsil Stadium, 50km away.'

This means it is highly capable. What kind of missile is Cheongung II?

Yang Wook: Simply put, there are two types: the initial model and an upgraded version. Cheongung II was originally developed to replace the older Hawk surface-to-air missile for intercepting aircraft. The enhanced Cheongung II variant is specifically designed to directly intercept incoming missiles-that is, it is an interceptor missile capable of directly hitting incoming ballistic missiles.

One battery of Cheongung-2 consists of four launchers, allowing it to fire a total of 32 interceptor missiles.

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So Jongseop: So we are talking about the upgraded Cheongung II, right?

Yang Wook: That's correct. Typically, a Cheongung II battery is composed by mixing these versions. The missile defense battery can intercept not only enemy ballistic missiles but also aircraft. If it can intercept aircraft, it can also intercept cruise missiles. So you can think of Cheongung II as a missile interception system capable of intercepting both ballistic and cruise missiles.

So Jongseop: What about its interception range, maximum range, and size?

Yang Wook: The missile is about 4 to 6 meters in length. The diameter is actually not that large. The missile's diameter is around 27 centimeters.

So Jongseop: That's smaller than I expected.

Yang Wook: Yes, that's right. However, the missile itself is fairly heavy, weighing about 400 kilograms. It can reach speeds of up to Mach 6.

Chun-Gung 2, which recorded an interception rate of 96% in the Middle Eastern war, is known as a cost-effective interception weapon.

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So Jongseop: That's an incredible speed.

Yang Wook: Indeed. When intercepting aircraft, it can operate up to 20 kilometers in altitude and cover a radius of 50 kilometers. When intercepting ballistic missiles, the interception altitude is up to 15 kilometers, with an effective defensive radius of around 20 kilometers. A comparable missile would be the American Patriot PAC-3. PAC-3 is considered the beginning of a full-fledged ballistic missile interception system, but Cheongung II falls slightly short in terms of range and altitude. In South Korea, both the PAC-3 and Cheongung II are deployed, allowing for a multi-layered defense system.

So Jongseop: I see. Why was it named Cheongung (literally, 'Heavenly Bow')?

Yang Wook: When naming missiles, it's common to use 'gung,' which means 'bow' or 'arrow.' The name means 'arrow of the sky.' In fact, at the initial development stage, it was called Cheolmae, meaning 'steel hawk.' Cheolmae 2 literally means 'a hawk made of steel.' But the name Cheongung was chosen to reflect its function of shooting down targets.

So Jongseop: When did Korea first develop and deploy this system in actual service?

Yang Wook: It was first unveiled around 2016. After around ten years of technological investment and effort, the interception system was finally developed. Its technological reliability was verified in 2017, and it began to be deployed in actual service around 2018.

So Jongseop: Will there be a Cheongung 3?

Yang Wook: Cheongung 3 is under development. Cheongung 1 was only capable of defending against aircraft and cruise missiles, while Cheongung II can also intercept ballistic missiles. The more advanced Cheongung 3 is expected to be developed and enter production by around 2030.

Cheongung II has two batteries deployed in active service in the United Arab Emirates, and it has also been exported to Saudi Arabia and Iraq.

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So Jongseop: It's said that Cheongung II has an interception success rate of about 96%, which is very high. Compared to similar weapons from other countries, what makes it stand out?

Yang Wook: Systems like the Patriot are effective, but they are also relatively old, having been developed quite some time ago. Of course, they've been updated over the years, but Cheongung II has been in active deployment since around 2018 and various data have been accumulated. The versions exported now are fully refined, so the system integration is likely superior compared to older systems.

So Jongseop: I see. It is said that two Cheongung II batteries are currently deployed in the United Arab Emirates. How is a battery organized?

Yang Wook: A battery consists of a radar for detection, interceptor missiles, and four launchers for firing the missiles. Additionally, the battery includes a battle management center to control all operations-this forms a complete set.

So Jongseop: With four launchers in a battery, how many missiles can be fired?

Yang Wook: Each vehicle can be equipped with eight missiles. So, one battery can launch a total of 32 missiles. Since there will also be reserve and spare missiles, the actual number that can be fired could be even higher.

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So Jongseop: How much does a single battery sell for when exported?

Yang Wook: In the past, the price was around 96 billion won. But you shouldn't take that figure at face value. When exported abroad, several other factors come into play, such as the amount of spare missiles included, which can significantly affect the price. So, basically, the actual price will be higher than that. In fact, I think a price in the range of 200 billion to 300 billion won is more reasonable.

So Jongseop: Besides the United Arab Emirates, which other countries have purchased Cheongung II?

Yang Wook: The first overseas buyer was the United Arab Emirates. In 2022, they purchased 10 Cheongung II batteries in a deal worth about 4 trillion won. This included not only the batteries themselves, but also spare missiles and logistics support. The second buyer was Saudi Arabia, which signed a contract for 10 batteries in 2023. In 2024, Cheongung II was exported to Iraq. However, as of now, only the United Arab Emirates has actually received two batteries, while Saudi Arabia and Iraq have not yet received their orders. Delivery is expected to be completed by around 2028.

So Jongseop: Dr. Yang, we'll leave it here today. Thank you for your insights.

Yang Wook: Thank you.

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