North Korea launched another trash balloon on the 19th. Since May, North Korea has sent a total of 29 trash balloons. About ten of these trash balloons fell in the Cheorwon area of Gangwon Province. There are growing voices within the military and related circles calling for preparation not only against balloons but also against large-scale drone-based biochemical weapon attacks. This is because drones can deliver larger quantities of biochemical weapons with greater accuracy.

LIG Nex1 has built a testing facility capable of conducting high-frequency tests up to 40 gigahertz (GHz) in preparation for challenges in the aerospace industry, including satellites. (Photo by LIG Nex1)

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If North Korea utilizes drones, it could contaminate not only the Seoul metropolitan area but also surrounding regions with its existing stockpile of 5,000 tons of chemical agents. According to the "Northeast Asia Security Situation Analysis" published by the Korea Institute for Defense Analyses (KIDA), 5,000 tons of chemical agents are enough to contaminate 2,500 square kilometers, which is four times the area of Seoul. As a result, domestic defense companies are moving quickly to develop systems to counter drones. I visited the LIG Nex1 Gumi plant, which is developing an integrated anti-drone system.

In front of the Gumi plant headquarters, the flags of 16 countries that participated in the Korean War, along with the United Nations flag, were flying side by side. The intention was to remember the pain of war and the gratitude toward the participating countries. On the headquarters building, a large sign read, "The name Republic of Korea, we keep it in our hearts," reflecting the pride of a defense company. A company representative offered to show me the radar development site and guided me to the medium-range proximity field test site, which was established in December last year.

When the chamber door was opened, thousands of carbon fiber electromagnetic wave absorbers, resembling thorns growing on tree branches, were attached to the interior walls. (Photo by LIG Nex1)

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LIG Nex1 needs to conduct high-frequency tests to enter the aerospace industry, including satellites, and has built a test facility capable of testing up to 40 gigahertz (GHz). Inside the building, there were electromagnetic wave test chambers, known as "chambers," on both sides. Each chamber appeared to be over 6 meters high. When the chamber door was opened, thousands of carbon fiber electromagnetic wave absorbers were attached to the inner walls, resembling thorns growing on tree branches. This is to prevent interference from external electromagnetic waves during testing. The size of the electromagnetic wave absorbers varies depending on the frequency range. As the frequency increases, the wavelength shortens and directivity improves. Weapon systems used in aerospace employ high frequencies. To conduct high-frequency tests, the size of the electromagnetic wave absorbers must be reduced. To develop various weapon systems, corresponding test facilities are required. This is why there are as many as 13 such test chambers at the Gumi plant.

Park Sangha, head of the Reliability Center team, said, "For the latest AESA (Active Electronically Scanned Array) radar in fighter jets, hundreds of transmit/receive modules (TRMs) are installed to track multiple targets simultaneously and generate high-output signals," adding, "To test multiple antennas using various frequencies at the same time, the level of the test facility must also be raised accordingly."

On the afternoon of the 1st, a small stealth drone that attended the 76th Armed Forces Day ceremony held at Seoul Airport is moving across the Hangang Bridge for the parade taking place around Sungnyemun and Gwanghwamun in Seoul. [Image source=Yonhap News]

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LIG Nex1 has developed an "integrated anti-drone system." This system detects and neutralizes enemy drones. It detects enemy drones using an active electronically scanned array (AESA) radar, tracks them with an electro-optical infrared (EO/IR) camera, and then neutralizes them using a jammer. It is considered a core defense system for future warfare. LIG Nex1 has verified its integrated operation system through more than 500 outdoor tests.

The tour moved to the outdoor radar system test site. Located on the third floor of the building, the test site was conducting tests on the local air defense radar and the Maritime Surveillance Radar-II. These radars are capable of monitoring land, sea, and air. All the radars were transmitting signals toward the radio wave reflector (BEACON) tower standing on Pilbongsan Mountain in the front. The distance to the tower across the Nakdong River is about 1 km. This test site can be set for detection ranges up to 400 km, making it the largest radar system test site in Korea.

Soldiers of the Ukrainian 59th Mechanized Brigade operating first-person view (FPV) drones are posing for a photo at the front line.
[Image source=Reuters Yonhap News]

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The local air defense radar was mounted on a vehicle, elevated more than 5 meters, and rotated once every two seconds. The local air defense radar gained fame in December 2022 when it first detected a North Korean UAV at an air defense post on the western front. As it was a restricted area, I could not enter the radar control room, but as expected, the monitor in the control room showed the circular radar screen spinning continuously, just like in the movies.

A company representative said, "To compete with the United States, where global aerospace companies like SpaceX are based, and with countries like China and Japan, which are pursuing state-led development policies, it is necessary for domestic defense companies to build space industry infrastructure," adding, "We will be at the center of that effort."