LIG Nex1

LIG Nex1 is South Korea's leading defence electronics and precision-weapons manufacturer, headquartered in Yongin, with trailing 12-month revenue of approximately $3 billion as of end-2025. Founded in 1976 as Goldstar Precision, it became LIG Nex1 in 2007 as a subsidiary of LIG Group. In May 2026 it won the marquee Cheongung-III ECS contract — the command-and-control core of South Korea's next-generation mid-range surface-to-air missile system — edging out Hanwha by just 0.1 evaluation points in a ₩3 trillion (~$2.2 billion) programme. LIG Nex1 is also a named prime contractor on the ₩842 billion LAMD Korean Iron Dome programme alongside Hanwha and ADD.

LIG Nex1's product portfolio spans precision-guided munitions, ISR radars, electronic warfare systems, and C4I communications. Its highest-profile recent export was a $2.78 billion contract to supply Iraq with Cheongung-II surface-to-air missiles in 2024 — one of the largest single defence exports in Korean history. The Cheongung-II received independent validation in the field when UAE batteries intercepted Iranian strikes during the 2026 Gulf conflict, demonstrating the system's combat effectiveness at exactly the moment the Cheongung-III competition was being decided.

LIG Nex1's growing missile export pipeline, combined with Cheongung-III leadership and LAMD prime status, positions it as a significant mid-tier player in global air-defence markets. Alongside Hanwha and Korea Aerospace Industries, it represents the industrial spine of a Korean defence-export sector now targeting a $37 billion total pipeline. It is directly relevant to Korea-specific defence and procurement topics beyond drones.