The Iron Dome battery in Ashkelon. Photo: Israel Defense Forces.

JNS.org – South Korea is reportedly interested in purchasing Israel’s highly successful Iron Dome missile defense system to protect against rocket threats from North Korea.

Developed by Israeli defense company Rafael Systems, the Iron Dome system has scored a 90 percent success rate in shooting down Hamas’s short-range rockets that target Israeli civilian areas, according to Israeli officials.

“[South Korea] is very worried not only about rockets, but other things as well … You can certainly include them in the club of interested countries,” Rafael CEO Yedidia Yaari told Israel’s Army Radio, adding that Rafael representatives have visited South Korea’s capital Seoul.

Initial funding for the Iron Dome was undertaken by Israel, but since then the U.S. has largely provided funding, with the U.S. Congress recently approving an additional $225 million in emergency funding. Currently Israel operates nine Iron Dome batteries with up to 15 scheduled to be completed.