A Cheongung-II medium-range surface-to-air missile is launched at a virtual target along the West Sea coast, Nov. 6, 2024. Courtesy of Joint Chiefs of Staff
The domestically produced Cheongung-II medium-range surface-to-air missile system reportedly intercepted more than 90 percent of incoming missiles during the recent conflict between the United States, Israel and Iran, as a battery deployed in the United Arab Emirates blocked a heavy barrage of missiles with almost no gaps.
While this milestone inspires admiration for South Korea's defense exports and offers domestic reassurance regarding the airspace where Cheongung-II is already deployed, this high-tech shield conceals a critical vulnerability.
The world marvels at the precision of conventional air defense networks, but a different reality is unfolding on modern battlefields. Drones have emerged as the undeniable game changer in both the Middle East and the war in Ukraine. As the U.S. expended interceptor missiles at a staggering cost, Iran countered effectively with its Shahed drones, also known as loitering munitions, which cost merely tens of millions of won (roughly $6,700 to $67,000) each.
Soldiers of the 127th Separate Territorial Brigade launch a drone to search for Russian attack drones at the frontline in the Kharkiv region, March 13. AP-Yonhap
In Ukraine, traditional trenches and engagement lines have been replaced by "kill zones" that allow drones to monitor and strike targets around the clock. The country picking the shift up is North Korea. By dispatching troops to Russia, Pyongyang quickly acquired modern warfare technologies and drone operational experience. The Kim Jong-un regime has spread these asymmetric response tactics across its forces, and is reportedly accelerating the development and mass production of these loitering munitions.
Seoul faces a starkly different reality. The military currently possesses only about 1,000 drones, most of them used for surveillance or training. The country lacks the practical loitering munitions and attack drones that have now become core combat assets in modern warfare. South Korea's drone tactics and operational concepts remain in their infancy, and the domestic industrial base lacks the immediate capacity to support a rapid buildup.
Amid this strategic deficit, the military's dedicated Drone Operations Command — launched approximately two years ago — recently faced possible disbandment or downsizing. Critics cited military organizational efficiency and suspicions surrounding the unit's involvement in the short-lived martial law declaration by former President Yoon Suk Yeol on Dec. 3, 2024.
While strict judgment and personnel measures regarding any illegalities are necessary, the military must conduct a broad review of its drone combat power. The Ministry of National Defense recently decided to restructure and retain the command rather than disband it. However, the reorganized unit is likely to shift toward education and training rather than active combat operations.
This article from the Hankook Ilbo, the sister publication of The Korea Times, is translated by a generative AI system and edited by The Korea Times.
Source: Korea Times News
