Hankyoreh chose not to publish a report on the rumored success of the Cheongung-II missile defense system in intercepting Iranian attacks, citing difficulties in verifying the claims made by other media outlets.
On the 18th, during a briefing at the Blue House, Chief Presidential Secretary Kang Hoon-sik announced that South Korea would receive 18 million barrels of oil from the United Arab Emirates (UAE). When asked about military cooperation with the UAE, Kang emphasized that linking oil supply with defense agreements was inappropriate. Despite this, various media outlets reported that the UAE's impressive reception of the Cheongung-II missile defense system influenced their decision to prioritize oil exports to South Korea. Previous contracts were established between South Korea and the UAE in 2022 for the purchase of the Cheongung-II system, which is designed to intercept North Korean ballistic missiles.
Earlier this month, some media reported that the Cheongung-II had a 90% interception rate against Iranian attacks based on information from government and military sources. A member of the National Assembly claimed that the two deployed battery units of the Cheongung-II achieved 96% efficiency in intercepting Iranian missile and drone assaults. Following these reports, articles celebrating the first operational success of the Cheongung-II emerged, suggesting that it could further establish South Korea's defense industry in the global market.
However, Hankyoreh refrained from publishing an article on this topic despite hearing similar reports, citing several reasons for their decision. They pointed out that while the assertion of a 90% interception rate is plausible, it remained challenging to confirm the facts surrounding the claims. Furthermore, the UAE's air defense system comprises multiple layers, including US-made systems and others like the Cheongung-II, which complicates the attribution of interception success solely to the latter.
