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LIG D&A establishes first U.S. subsidiary as it seeks to supply Bigung missile stateside

Published: 08 Apr. 2026, 12:03 Updated: 08 Apr. 2026, 19:25

KIM MIN-YOUNG
[email protected]

A Bigung launcher is mounted on LIG D&A’s unmanned surface vessel Haegeom-II. [LIG D&A]

LIG D&A has established its first local subsidiary in the United States as it seeks to supply the Bigung guided missile to the U.S. Navy.

LIG D&A announced that it has established its U.S. subsidiary, LIG Defense U.S. (LIG U.S.), in a press release on Wednesday.

“LIG U.S. will pursue comprehensive efforts, including building partnerships and promoting technology exchange in the United States to enter the world’s largest and most advanced defense market,” the company said in the press release.

LIG U.S. has appointed Rich Brown, a former commander of the U.S. Pacific Fleet Naval Surface Force, as senior adviser. He previously oversaw fleet operations and led efforts to enhance the combat readiness of surface forces.

LIG D&A’s 2.75-inch guided rocket system Bigung already passed the Foreign Comparative Testing evaluation, a U.S. program for adopting overseas weapon systems, through its participation in the Rim of the Pacific Exercise in Hawaii in July 2024.

Representatives from LIG D&A inspect a Bigung launcher mounted on an unmanned surface vessel during the Rim of the Pacific Exercise in the United States in July 2024. [LIG D&A]

The Bigung guided missile system, designed to target North Korean landing craft air cushions while mounted on a vehicle, entered service with the South Korean Marine Corps in 2016.

“The establishment of the U.S. subsidiary represents both the efforts that LIG D&A has made and its continued commitment to position itself as a true partner to the U.S. defense industry,” said LIG D&A CEO Shin Ick-hyun. “We will strive to serve as a bridge for defense cooperation between South Korea and the United States.”

BY KIM MIN-YOUNG [[email protected]]