(DEFENCE SECURITY ASIA) – South Korean defense company LIG Nex1 has officially opened its office in Kuala Lumpur, signaling closer cooperation between the two nations in the defense sector.
LIG Nex1, a prominent player in South Korea’s defense industry, is known for its high-performance defense products widely used by numerous countries globally.
The Kuala Lumpur office marks its sixth international branch and the second in Southeast Asia, following its establishment in Indonesia.
The inauguration ceremony in Kuala Lumpur was attended by South Korean Ambassador to Malaysia Yeo Seung-Bae, Deputy Secretary-General of Malaysia’s Ministry of Defense Mohd Yani Daud, Deputy Army Commander Lt. Gen. Datuk Tengku Muhammad Fauzi Tengku Ibrahim, and Deputy Navy Commander Vice Admiral Dato’ Ts. Shamsuddin Hj Ludin.
Also present were former Armed Forces Chief Tan Sri Affendi Buang, LIG Nex1 CEO Ickhyun Shin, and LIG Nex1 Malaysia Regional Director Daniel Lee.
In his speech, LIG Nex1’s CEO emphasized Malaysia’s importance as a key market for the South Korean defense industry in Southeast Asia and expressed a desire to enhance collaboration with local defense players.
The Kuala Lumpur office marks its sixth international branch and the second in Southeast Asia, following its establishment in Indonesia.
Brief:
South Korean defense company LIG Nex1 has opened its sixth international office in Kuala Lumpur, marking its second branch in Southeast Asia after Indonesia. The move underscores growing defense cooperation between South Korea and Malaysia.
The inauguration, attended by senior Malaysian defense officials and South Korean representatives, highlights Malaysia’s strategic importance as a key market and a gateway for defense collaboration in the region.
Initial projects are expected to focus on naval systems, including equipping Malaysia’s Littoral Mission Ships (LMS) Batch 2 with K-SAAM missiles, a short-range air defense system already operational on South Korean naval vessels.
LIG Nex1 is also exploring opportunities to supply its KM-SAM medium-range air defense system to Malaysia, further strengthening ties in anticipation of future defense procurement programs.
Regional Director Lee described the opening of the Malaysian office as both a bold and strategic move, positioning Malaysia as a “launching pad” for fostering stronger defense cooperation across Southeast Asia.
According to Defence Security Asia, one of LIG Nex1’s initial projects in Malaysia involves the naval sector, likely referring to reports that the Royal Malaysian Navy’s (RMN) three Littoral Mission Ships (LMS) Batch 2, procured from Türkiye, will be equipped with K-SAAM (Korean Surface to Air Missile) systems, also known as “Haegung” in Korean.
Developed by South Korea’s Agency for Defence Development (ADD) in collaboration with LIG Nex1, the short-range K-SAAM can travel at Mach 2 and target threats up to 20 km away.
It is designed to replace the Rolling Airframe Missile (RAM) system developed by Raytheon (now RTX), providing close-in defense for naval vessels.
Each RMN LMS Batch 2 vessel, to be built by Savunma Teknolojieri Muhendislik (STM), will reportedly be equipped with a 16-cell Vertical Launch System (VLS) to deploy the K-SAAM.
K-SAAM “Haegung”
Currently, the K-SAAM is operational on South Korea’s Daegu-class frigates and Dokdo-class amphibious assault ships, including the ROKS Marado.
Defence Security Asia also inquired about LIG Nex1’s potential participation in Malaysia’s procurement of a Medium Range Air Defense System (MERAD) under the 13th Malaysia Plan, expected to be presented in Q3 2025.
According to report, LIG Nex1 has shown interest in supplying its KM-SAM (Cheongung) medium-range air defense system to the Malaysian Armed Forces.
Jointly developed by ADD and LIG Nex1 with technical support from Russia’s Almaz-Antey, KM-SAM integrates technological expertise from both Western and Russian defense systems.
“KM-SAM II”
It is capable of engaging aerial targets at altitudes of up to 15 km (49,000 feet) and a range of 40 km.
The KM-SAM has recently secured contracts with the United Arab Emirates (UAE), Saudi Arabia, and Iraq, further solidifying its reputation in the global defense market. — DSA