KOREAN NET

The Lebanon-based media outlet Defense Arabia on Sept. 9 said the Iraqi Ministry of Defense will pay USD 2.5 billion for eight units of Cheongung II, a surface-to-air missile defense system. (Screen capture from Defense Arabia)

By Aisylu Akhmetzianova

Iraq will buy Cheongung II, a Korean-style Patriot mid-range surface-to-air missile defense system.

The Iraqi Ministry of Defense plans to buy eight Cheongung II units for USD 2.5 billion (KRW 3.35 trillion) and sign a deal with a Korean defense contractor next week, multiple Korean media outlets reported on Sept. 12 citing Defense Arabia, a Lebanon-based news outlet covering the military, and Korean defense industry sources.

Iraqi Minister of Defense Thabet Mohammed Al-Abbasi said the decision to purchase Korean air defense missiles aims to boost Iraq's air defense system, Defense Arabia added.

If it goes through, the export would be Korea's third missile export worth billions of KRW after those to the United Arab Emirates and Saudi Arabia.

Cheongung II is a mid-range, medium-altitude surface-to-air interceptor system developed with domestic technology to simultaneously counter ballistic missile and aircraft attacks.

aisylu@korea.kr