Russian Missile Technology Fueling S. Korean Defense Exports

Years of Russian technology transfers are paying major dividends for South Korea, as resulting products are fueling some of the country's largest defense export deals

Among the South Korean defense industry’s export deals inked in 2024, the USD 2.8 billion transaction with Iraq over the M-SAM 2 (Cheongung) air-defense system stands out the most. While it ranks among South Korea’s largest defense export deals in history, the country’s ongoing M-SAM 2 exports are highly notable for another reason.

M-SAM 2's Unique Value Proposition

Capable of targeting both aircraft and ballistic missiles, the M-SAM 2 is essentially a variant of Russia's most advanced air-defense system, the S-400 (a.k.a SA-21 Growler). Developed by South Korea's state-run Agency for Defense Development (ADD) with support from two Russian firms that developed the S-400 — Almaz-Antey and Fakel — the M-SAM 2 is known to have been modeled after the S-400's 9M96E missile.

Outside of Russia, the S-400's international customers have been largely limited to those viewed unfavorably by Washington, such as China, Iran, and Belarus. That said, two countries with more cordial relations with Washington — India and Turkey — have also become S-400 customers despite US warnings.

Fortunately for those allied or partnered with Washington, South Korea’s M-SAM 2 is changing the landscape, as additional US partners previously interested in Russia's S-400 have instead been acquiring the M-SAM 2, as evidenced in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) and Saudi Arabia deals inked in 2022 and 2024, respectively.

South Korea's defense exports continue to grow with the likes of K-9 self-propelled howitzers and T-50 trainer jets, which may be lower cost, high-quality alternatives to US and European systems. The M-SAM 2's value proposition goes a step further by making a variant of Russia's most advanced air-defense system available to a wider (and friendlier) international customer base.

Iraq's Rationale

As for the Iraqi deal itself, Baghdad is known to have been interested in acquiring the S-400 from Russia since the late 2010's. However, according to a South Korean media report that cited Arabic Defense, Iraq opted for the South Korean variant due to concerns over potential Russian potential supply issues caused by the war in Ukraine. Meanwhile, according to the same article, Iraq opted against acquiring a US system, due to concerns over potential limitations imposed by Countering America's Adversaries Through Sanctions Act (CAATSA).

LIG Nex1: Spearheading South Korea’s Guided Munitions Exports

The M-SAM 2 is among South Korea's growing portfolio of guided munitions that are being marketed by LIG Nex1, the M-SAM 2's primary contractor. So far, LIG Nex1 has exported the C-Star (Haeseong) anti-ship missile to Colombia and the Philippines. Additionally, the US Navy is rumored to be interested in the company's Korean - Low Cost Guided Imaging Rocket (K-LOGIR / Bigung).

According to Naval News, K-LOGIR successfully underwent the US Department of Defense's Foreign Comparative Testing (FCT) with all six guided rockets hitting their targets with 100% accuracy. The most recent test is known to have taken place during RIMPAC 2024, when the US Navy test-fired K-LOGIR from an American unmanned surface vessel (USV) which was launched from a Republic of Korea Navy (ROKN) amphibious assault ship.