[Military Story] Missile from the Bow (Gung) Series Protecting National Security [Yang Nak-gyu's Defence Club]

Depending on the target, various types such as 'Haegung', 'Hyeongung', and 'Bigung'...
Defense export hero products requested for import by 11 countries

Among the missile names in South Korea, there is the ‘Gung (弓) series.’ This includes Bigung, Hyeongung, Shingung, and Cheongung. Domestic defense industry companies have set a goal to increase the number of export countries from the current 11 to 30 by 2030, spearheaded by the Gung (弓) series.

On the 2nd, LIG Nex1's Shingung and self-propelled artillery interception systems were exhibited at the 'Korea International Defense Industry Exhibition' held at Gyeryongdae, Chungnam. Photo by Jinhyung Kang aymsdream@

The representative missile in the Gung series is Shingung. Shingung is a portable surface-to-air guided weapon operated by the South Korean military since 2006. In 2023, an export contract was signed with Romania. The official name of Shingung is the Korean Portable Surface-to-Air Missile (KPSAM). The nickname given to it is ‘Shingung (新弓),’ meaning ‘new bow.’ During the initial research and development (R&D) phase, the portable surface-to-air guided weapon was often referred to by its English acronym KPSAM or by a combination of the English acronyms for portable and surface-to-air guided weapon, such as ‘Husem.’ However, as the project progressed, a name that everyone could agree on and rally behind was needed. Therefore, the research team decided to name the missile and use that name as the project title. After a contest among all employees of the Agency for Defense Development, including researchers, the name ‘Shingung (神弓)’ was chosen. It carries the meaning of renewing the perception of Korea’s traditional national defense weapon, the bow, and reviving the spirit of ancestors embodied in archery. Additionally, while portable guided missiles had previously been imported from abroad, this name reflects the new domestic R&D determination to arm the military with a new bow.

The export English name of Shingung is Chiron. Chiron is one of the Kentauros (Centaur) tribe in Greek mythology, a half-human, half-horse creature with the upper body of a human and the lower body of a horse. Known as a sage skilled in medicine, archery, and the arts, and possessing prophetic abilities, Chiron was the mentor who taught many heroes appearing in Greek mythology. There is also a Chiron constellation. It is associated with Sagittarius, which is prominently visible in early September. In star charts (astronomical maps), Chiron is depicted drawing a bowstring toward the western sky.

Since then, the name ‘Gung’ has been widely used for domestically developed guided missiles and guided rockets. These include the anti-ship guided missile and the air-defense missile ‘Haegung,’ the infantry mid-range guided weapon ‘Hyeongung,’ and the 2.75-inch guided rocket ‘Bigung,’ a coastal defense guided weapon system designed to counter small high-speed vessels. Hyeongung is also evaluated to have improved penetration capability and effective range compared to similar weapon systems such as Spike (Israel) and Javelin (USA). Bigung attracted attention last July by participating in a performance evaluation test conducted by the U.S. Department of Defense, where all six test firings hit their targets. It has expanded its export routes beyond the Middle East to Europe and is preparing to enter the U.S. market.

Cheongung, which began development in 2001, started its first mass production in 2021 after 11 years. Cheongung was developed to replace the Hawk missile, the main air defense guided weapon protecting South Korea’s airspace. The import substitution effect of Cheongung is estimated to be about 3.74 trillion won.