South Korea accelerates missile delivery to UAE amid Middle East crisis

Seoul could accelerate delivery of missiles for the Cheongung-2 (KM-SAM Block II) medium-range air defence system to the United Arab Emirates amid ongoing regional conflict, according to South Korean news agency News1.

Last week, South Korea’s Yonhap News Agency reported that the UAE requested expedited delivery, outside their contractual timeframe from 2022, to strengthen defence capabilities amid Middle Eastern tensions, which Seoul is considering.

News1 video footage showed a UAE Air Force C-17 military transport aircraft at Daegu Air Base in South Korea loading what appeared to be Cheongung-2 missiles. The transport aircraft was observed at 16:00 local time (07:00 GMT) on Monday 9 March, then took off at 19:25 and landed at Al Dhafra Air Base in the UAE on Tuesday.

Nearby, South Korean defence contractor LIG Nex1 manufactures these missiles, which were likely transported to the air base. According to the report, the C-17 aircraft can carry cargo weighing up to 77 tonnes.

Previously, in 2022, the UAE signed an agreement with LIG Nex1 and Hanwha Aerospace, another South Korean defence contractor, for 10 Cheongung-2 units. To date, Seoul has delivered two of these missile systems.

On 28 February, the United States and Israel launched strikes against Iran, causing damage and civilian casualties. Iran responded by attacking Israeli territory and US military facilities in the Middle East.