South Korea will bring forward to 2029 the entry into service of its low-altitude interceptor system, similar to the Israeli Iron Dome, as a response to the growing threat from North Korea. According to the Defense Acquisition Program Administration (DAPA), the country plans to deploy a prototype of the Low Altitude Missile Defense System (LAMD) in 2029, two years earlier than initially planned, in order to strengthen protection against North Korean long-range artillery that covers Seoul and its metropolitan areas.
The LAMD project contemplates an integrated set of radar, tactical communication systems, launchers, and interceptors designed to neutralize simultaneous low-altitude attacks. The decision to accelerate its development was approved during a meeting of the interagency defense project promotion committee. The government will allocate 842 billion won (558 million dollars) to the program until 2030, with the objective of having an initial capability that allows reducing vulnerabilities against North Korean multiple rocket launchers.
DAPA explained that the initial deployment will be carried out with a prototype subject to continuous improvements and replacement of obsolete components, which will allow shortening the timelines for introducing new capabilities. In January 2025, the agency had already formally begun development of the system with the participation of the Agency for Defense Development, military authorities, and companies in the sector such as LIG Nex1, Hanwha Aerospace, and Hanwha Systems. At that time, a DAPA official stated: “The launch of this project represents our capacity to independently secure a robust air defense system that protects critical facilities and the lives of our citizens against North Korea’s long-range artillery threats.”
The LAMD system is conceived to intercept a greater number of targets simultaneously compared to the Israeli Iron Dome. Its mission is to defend strategic installations in the Seoul region against projectiles flying below 20 kilometers in altitude, operating mainly at altitudes of up to 12 kilometers. This defense layer will be integrated with the rest of the South Korean network, which includes Shingung and Cheongung systems for low altitudes, Patriot, M-SAM-I and M-SAM-II for medium altitudes, and L-SAM-I for higher layers. In parallel, development of the L-SAM-II continues to counter threats above 80 kilometers.
DAPA indicated that the project is based on national experience in system integration, fire control, and precision detection and tracking technologies accumulated in previous air defense programs. The agency added that it is working on measures to accelerate future production and will coordinate efforts with the Agency for Defense Development, the Armed Forces, and manufacturers in order to ensure the progress of the program and its entry into service within the new established timeline.
In parallel with the development of LAMD, South Korea plans to acquire Standard Missile-3 (SM-3) interceptors to equip an 8,200-ton Aegis destroyer of the Jeongjo the Great class. This purchase, managed through the foreign military sales mechanism, involves an investment of 753 billion won and is part of the government decision, taken in 2024, to strengthen naval capabilities to face ballistic threats and expand the country’s multi-layered defense.
*Images for illustrative purposes.
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