South Korea will increase the capabilities of the K2 MBT and anti-ship missiles

MBT K2 (wikimedia Commons/대한민국 국군/Republic of Korea Armed Forces)

South Korea will upgrade its K2 main battle tank (MBT) and Haeseong-II long-range anti-ship missile capabilities as part of efforts to strengthen military capabilities in the face of growing threats, local media reported Tuesday.

The Defense Acquisition Program Administration (DAPA) approved a project worth 3.43 trillion won (2.43 billion US dollars) to modernize the K2 tank with an active protection system designed to intercept anti-tank missiles and unmanned aerial vehicles (drones), Anadolu reported from the Yonhap News Agency (11/8)

The tanks will also be equipped with a system to disrupt drone signals and improvised explosive devices, as well as a remote-controlled weapons station that allows the crew to aim and shoot from inside the armored vehicle.

The K2 modernization program will take place from 2028 to 2046, with the tanks that have been upgraded expected to begin operating in 2033.

DAPA also approved a program worth 1.63 trillion won ($1.15 billion) to upgrade the Haeseong-II anti-ship missile, with the aim of doubling its range using a more powerful turbofan engine.

Development is expected to be completed by 2033, and mass production is scheduled to begin in 2034.

These missiles, which have improved capabilities, are expected to be deployed on South Korea's latest generation KDDX destroyers.

Separately, the Ministry of Defense said it would support the temporary relocation of the Air Force's operations from Gwangju to facilitate large-scale semiconductor and artificial intelligence (AI) cluster projects.

Previously, President Lee Jae-myung on Monday instructed the ministry to carry out the temporary relocation while minimizing the impact on military readiness.