South Korea has approved plans to develop a $2.6 billion defence system, similar to Israel’s Iron Dome, to counter North Korea.
South Korea’s Defence Ministry said that the new system aims to protect against long-range artillery and multiple rocket launchers.
A large part of the area surrounding Seoul, the capital, is home to about half the population of 52 million, and lies within range of the neighbour’s long-range guns and multiple rocket launchers. Late last year the government’s defence blueprint called for the development of a “Korean-style Iron Dome” that can defend Seoul and key facilities.
Israel’s Iron Dome, an air-defence system, had intercepted rockets fired from Gaza during the recent Israel-Palestine conflict.
Through this project, it is expected that the ability to respond to the threat of enemy long-range artillery will be strengthened, as well as securing domestic technology and creating domestic jobs,” it said.
Recently, North Korea had tested two missiles soon after Biden came to office in January as the US government said it will “respond accordingly” if it escalates its military testing. Sources said that, the two missiles were launched from North Korea’s east coast into the Sea of Japan even as Pyongyang declared it had tested a “tactical guided projectile”.
