In an interview with Bloomberg, South Korean Finance Minister Koo Yun Cheol said the war being waged by the United States and Israel against Iran had sharply increased demand for South Korea’s Cheongung-2 missile defense systems. He did not specify which countries were seeking to buy them.

According to the minister, Middle Eastern states are lining up to purchase South Korean missiles, drawn by their accuracy. He said the systems are capable of intercepting ballistic missiles with a success rate of more than 90 percent.

Bloomberg reported that manufacturers Hanwha Aerospace and LIG Nex1 are emphasizing the affordability of the system. Missiles for the Cheongung-2, the agency noted, cost about four times less than the American PAC-3 interceptors used in Patriot batteries, while offering comparable performance.

Analysts also say the South Korean systems can be deployed alongside Patriot and THAAD. That option is gaining attention as the conflict in the Middle East has exposed a shortage of interceptor missiles for the American-made systems.

Bloomberg also recalled that in 2022, the UAE became the first country to sign a contract for 10 Cheongung-2 batteries. So far, only two of them have been delivered. The agency added that in early March, Seoul likely sent the Emirates additional missiles for those systems.