**Translation:**

It has been reported that the United Arab Emirates (UAE), which operates South Korea’s domestically developed missile interception system Cheongung-II, has requested early delivery of additional interceptor missiles from the South Korean government.

As demand for air defense weapons increased following Iranian attacks, the UAE asked South Korea to supply additional Cheongung-II batteries earlier than the delivery schedule specified in the contract. The Korean government is reportedly reviewing whether this is possible.

In 2022, the UAE signed a contract with South Korean companies LIG Nex1, Hanwha Systems, and Hanwha Aerospace to purchase 10 Cheongung-II batteries. So far, two batteries have been deployed operationally.

When Iran—after being attacked by the United States and Israel—launched missile strikes toward neighboring countries, the Cheongung-II systems deployed in the UAE were reportedly activated alongside other air defense systems, including the U.S.-made Patriot (PAC) and Israel’s Arrow, successfully intercepting Iranian missiles.

Yoo Yong-won, a lawmaker from the People Power Party and a member of the National Assembly’s Defense Committee, stated—citing well-informed sources—that about 60 interceptor missiles were fired from the two Cheongung-II batteries deployed in the UAE, achieving a reported interception success rate of 96 percent.

Rep. Yoo said, “A real-world hit rate of 96 percent is a figure that even the U.S. Patriot system, regarded as one of the world’s top air defense weapons, would find difficult to achieve,” adding, “In recent large-scale complex attacks where numerous drones and maneuvering ballistic missiles are launched simultaneously, it is rare to see an overall real-world interception rate exceeding 90 percent.”

UAE Requests Early Delivery of ‘Cheongung-II’ Interceptor Missiles from South Korean Government