Opposing North Korean Artillery, South Korea Builds 'Iron Dome' Air Defense System

Ilustrasi Iron Dome Israel. (Wikimedia Commons/Israel Defense Forces/Avichai Socher)

JAKARTA - South Korea on Monday decided to develop its own air defense method, by building interceptor rocket systems such as Israel's Iron Dome, to deal with long-range artillery threats from North Korea.

The Defense Projects Promotion Committee, led by Defense Minister Suh Wook, approved the 2.89 trillion won ($2.56 billion) project, which is expected to begin next year and is targeted for completion by 2035, according to the Defense Acquisition Program Administration (DAPA). ) .

"This project is designed to secure interceptor systems with our own technology, to enhance capabilities against enemy long-range artillery threats, to protect South Korea's core facilities, military infrastructure and security," DAPA said in a release, citing the Korea Times Monday, June 28.

Last year, the Defense Ministry pledged to build such an air defense system as a long-term plan. Iron Dome is designed to detect, identify and destroy incoming threats, such as short-range missiles, artillery shells and unmanned aerial vehicles.

To note, Pyongyang deployed about 1,000 artillery pieces along the Military Demarcation Line separating the two Koreas, including multiple 240-millimeter rocket launchers, most of which were aimed directly at Seoul and the metropolitan area, military officials said.

North Korea has also continued to develop its conventional weapons, exhibiting new types of short-range ballistic missiles and multiple rocket launchers over the past few years, amid stalled denuclearization talks with the United States and cold inter-Korean relations.