Deployment of indigenous missile completed

The deployment of Korea's indigenous guided missile has been completed, the state defense procurement body said Monday.

The Defense Acquisition Program Administration (DAPA) said it chaired a meeting of military and industry officials over the end of production of the Chunma missile. The DAPA said Chunma missiles, which entered mass production in 1999, were placed at an Air Force aerial defense unit and an Army artillery unit this year for the final deployment. It said a total of about 100 Chunma missiles have been produced.

"By putting Chunma at corps-size units on the front line and around Seoul, we've established capabilities for early response against surprise aerial offensives," the DAPA said in a statement.

Chunma, a guided ground-to-air missile, can detect and pursue fighter jets up to 20 kilometers away, and it can intercept aircraft flying 5 kilometers above ground within 10 seconds, according to experts.

Sources have said the missiles were also added to units on the border islands of Yeonpyeong and Baengnyeong last year, after the North bombed Yeonpyeong in November 2010, killing two Marines and two civilians. (Yonhap)