On the outskirts of an industrial city in South Korea, workers at a sprawling weapons factory were conducting the final phase of testing a newly built surface-to-air defense system that could eventually head to Ukraine.
Longstanding domestic policy bars Seoul from sending weapons to active conflict zones, but since the nuclear-armed North’s spy agency last month accused the nuclear-armed North of sending thousands of soldiers to help Moscow fight Kiev, South Korea has warned it may change course.
If so, at the top of the list for Ukraine would likely be the Cheongong air defense system – or Sky Arrow, a home-made Iron Dome-style interceptor shield, seen by AFP on Thursday during an exclusive tour of the Hanwha Aerospace Factory in Ukraine. South Changwon City.
With Beethoven’s Fur Elise tune playing repeatedly over the internal speaker, the veteran welders worked on huge drums that would become part of the future system, which is defensive in nature – although Hanwha is also producing an attack-focused variant.
“The Cheonjong system can be considered similar to the US Patriot missile system,” said Jung Sung-young, senior director at Hanwha Aerospace, South Korea’s largest defense contractor.
Ukraine relies on Western air defense systems, especially Patriot missiles, to protect itself from Russian missile barrages, and has been demanding more deliveries.
Washington said in June that it would prioritize deliveries to Kiev, ahead of other countries that had submitted requests.
But experts say that if South Korea, which is still technically at war with nuclear-armed North Korea and maintains production of weapons long ignored by Western arms industries, were to participate, it would likely make a big difference.
“As a divided country, we have systematically established and implemented standards at the national level, from the development of these weapons systems to quality control,” Young said.
“The quality, capacity and manufacturing supply chain of our products are competitive enough compared to those in other countries,” he added.
Whether South Korea decides to help Ukraine directly depends on North Korea’s “level of involvement,” President Yeon Suk-yeol said earlier this month, adding that Seoul “does not rule out the possibility of providing weapons.”
If South Korea supplies the weapons, the first batch will be defensive in nature, Yoon said.
Fight ready
To counter the continuing barrage of missiles targeting energy infrastructure and civilian areas in Ukraine, Kiev urgently needs more air defences, Han Kwon-hee of the Korea Defense Industries Association told AFP.
“Counterattacks require stability in rear areas, which is why Kiev has also launched drone attacks inside Russia, including Moscow,” Hahn explained.
“They will help Ukraine repel Russian attacks by intercepting drones and missiles flying deep into its territory,” he said, a major boost for Kiev, along with the recent US move to allow it to use long-range US missiles against targets inside Russia.
The South has remained combat-ready since its 1950-53 war with North Korea ended in an armistice, and while Hanwha Aerospace, South Korea’s largest defense contractor, was once seen by analysts as having retreated to its focus on land weapons, it is now in a reactionary position. High demand.
AFP saw a wide range of weapons moving along assembly lines at the company’s sprawling Changwon factory, from armored infantry vehicles to surface-to-air missile systems designed to intercept incoming missiles.
Rising geopolitical tensions in Europe have greatly benefited the South Korean company, which saw its year-over-year operating profit rise more than 450% in the latest quarter to $343.3 million.
It has signed major arms deals with countries such as Poland and Romania, including the export of K9 howitzers and Chunmoo missile systems.
Arms exports
Seoul has long had ambitions to join the ranks of the world’s largest arms exporters – aiming to become the fourth largest, after the United States, Russia and France – something that is now possible, industry research suggests.
It has already sold 155mm artillery shells to Washington, but with an “end user” agreement meaning the US will be the military using the munitions.
Experts said this allows the United States to provide its own missiles to Kyiv.
Another arms offer by Hanwha that could change the balance of war in Ukraine is the Chunmu guided missile system, experts said.
“With a maximum range of 290 kilometers (180 miles), the Chunmoo could hit targets in Pyongyang if launched from the border area in the south,” said Choi Ji-il, a professor of military studies at Sangjae University.
“What Ukraine urgently needs to turn the war to its advantage are offensive weapons such as Chunmu missiles and K9 howitzers, capable of inflicting significant damage to the enemy,” Choi added.
He added, “If North Korea’s direct involvement in the war escalates, (Seoul) may consider sending lethal weapons, in addition to defensive weapons.”
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