LIG D&A will export the shipborne air-defense missile Haegung—developed entirely with domestic technology—to Malaysia for the first time. After selling the land-based Cheongung-II to customers in the Middle East, the company is now pushing the \"K-Air Defense Belt\" into Southeast Asia.
On April 22 (local time), LIG D&A said it signed a Haegung export contract with Malaysia’s Ministry of Defense at the DSA 2026 defense expo in Kuala Lumpur. The contract is valued at 94 million USD (about 140 billion KRW). This marks Haegung’s first overseas sale.
Development on Haegung began in 2011 under the Agency for Defense Development (ADD), with LIG D&A participating in the program. The weapon is designed to protect ships by intercepting anti-ship missiles and hostile aircraft. It employs a dual seeker that combines ultra-high-frequency (RF) radar and imaging infrared (IIR) sensors, improving hit probability in bad weather and under electronic countermeasures.
Industry analysts say the deal is notable because it represents a new export model forged through collaboration with an overseas shipbuilder. Turkish defense firm STM will install Haegung on coastal patrol vessels it is building for the Royal Malaysian Navy. LIG D&A, which has strengths in mission equipment and systems integration, partnered with a foreign platform builder to field its weapon system—an approach observers view as a successful path into new markets.
LIG D&A said it will use this initial Haegung export as a springboard for broader global expansion. \"Following Cheongung-II’s proven performance in the Middle East, Haegung’s entry into the short-range naval air-defense market cements our position as a leading guided-weapons developer,\" the company said. \"We will continue to showcase advanced capabilities — including layered, integrated air-defense solutions — across Southeast Asia and around the world as we accelerate construction of the 'K-Air Defense Belt.'\"
Reporter Cheon Won-gi 1000@viva100.com
