South Korea tests Long-Range Surface-to-Air missile

South Korea test-fired a long-range surface-to-air missile (L-SAM) an apparent response to North Korean missile launches last month, Yonhap reported, citing sources.

The test was conducted to check the missile interceptor’s trajectory and whether it could hit a pre-designated target. Military representatives deemed it successful.

Multilayered Missile Defense

The South Korean military seeks to deploy the missile by 2026 as part of its multilayered missile defense architecture, including the Patriot Advanced Capability-3 missile and the medium-range Cheolmae II or KM-SAM missile.

The L-SAM can reportedly intercept incoming missiles at an altitude of 50-60 km (31-37 mi), while the Cheolmae can do so at 20 km (12.4 mi).