S. KOREA TO EXPORT HOMEGROWN MISSILES

[Anchor Lead]

South Korea is set to export its homegrown medium-range surface-to-air guided missile "Cheongung" to the United Arab Emirates. The deal amounts to 4 trillion won. If the contract is signed, it will be the first case of exporting Korean guidance weapons overseas.

[Pkg]

A missile soars into the sky vertically, ignites in mid air and flies toward its target. This is Cheongung-II, a mid-range surface-to-air guided missile developed by a domestic defense contractor under the initiative of the Agency for Defense Development. Equipped with launchers each loaded with eight interception missiles, a versatile radar and an engagement control station, it's the key weapon of South Korea's missile system. The UAE's Defense Ministry announced plans to purchase Cheongung. The deal surpasses 4 trillion won. A person supervising the UAE's defense sector says the agreement is almost finalized. The Cheongung missile has demonstrated a 100 percent accuracy rate in launch tests, earning recognition for superb interception capabilities. It boasts a maximum speed of Mach 5, interception altitude of 15 km, and 360-degree response. It's also lauded for superior destruction power by guiding missile fragments toward a target. In 2017, the Cheongung was rated fit for combat operations. A year ago it was deployed by the South Korean military.

[Soundbite] Shin Jong-woo(KODEF) : "S. Korea is a latecomer, but the fact that it beat other countries that were already selling their weapons abroad to export its own weapon shows we have a strong competitive edge in terms of price and performance."

The government aims to sign the deal for exporting the missile to the UAE within this year. If the contract is signed, it will be the first export of a South Korean guidance weapon.