Key points
- President Lee unveils plan at ADEX 2025
- Focus on AI and unmanned weapons technology
- Exports surge amid global arms demand rise
SEOUL: South Korean President Lee Jae Myung announced on Monday that the country would allocate a “larger-than-expected budget” for defence and aerospace research through to 2030, as it aims to become the world’s fourth-largest defence industry.
Lee made the remarks at South Korea’s largest-ever arms exhibition, the Seoul International Aerospace & Defence Exhibition (ADEX) 2025, where companies showcased new unmanned and artificial intelligence-enhanced weapons — from howitzers to suicide drones — as they sought to expand global defence sales, according to Reuters.
According to data from the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute’s (SIPRI) top 100 arms companies list, South Korea ranked 10th in arms sales as of 2023.
Top four powerhouses
“Being one of the top four powerhouses in the defence industry is by no means an impossible dream,” Lee said.
“We will establish technological sovereignty by focusing investment on the development of technologies, parts, and materials that must be secured independently, such as special semiconductors in the defence sector.”
Lee added that South Korea was committed to sharing not only its weapons systems but also “the technology and experience of building an industrial foundation” with its overseas defence partners.
Defence equipment has become one of South Korea’s fastest-growing export sectors, particularly following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, with the country securing multibillion-dollar contracts to supply howitzers, ammunition, missiles, and warships to buyers around the world.
