‘Korean THAAD’ L-SAM successfully developed in 10 years

South Korea has completed the development of the long-range surface-to-air guided weapon (L-SAM), often referred to as the "Korean version of THAAD (Terminal High Altitude Area Defense)," after a decade of development. The L-SAM intercepts missiles at altitudes of 40-70 kilometers and plays a crucial role in the Korea Air and Missile Defense (KAMD) system, part of the three-axis strategy designed to counter North Korea's nuclear and missile threats.

On Friday, the Ministry of National Defense hosted a commemorative event to mark the achievement at the Agency for Defense Development's (ADD) Daejeon office. Attendees included Minister of National Defense Kim Yong-hyun, Air Force Chief of Staff Lee Young-soo, and Defense Acquisition Program Administration Director Seok Jong-gun. President Yoon Suk Yeol congratulated, stating, “With the development of the L-SAM, Korea now possesses world-class missile defense capabilities capable of precisely intercepting high-altitude missiles at high speeds. This marks a groundbreaking advancement in the Korean missile defense system.”

The L-SAM project began exploratory development in 2015 with a total investment of 1.2 trillion won. In May 2024, it was rated combat-ready, meeting all operational performance requirements of the military. Mass production of the system is set to begin early next year.


Hyo-Ju Son hjson@donga.com