The South Korean government is consolidating its efforts across multiple ministries to enhance the development and export of advanced defense technologies.
On June 4, the Ministry of National Defense and the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy convened the 12th Defense Industry Development Council in the National Defense Ministry's conference room in Yongsan, Seoul. The meeting addressed eight key agenda items, including stable procurement cooperation for dual-use drones and plans for a major shift in defense artificial intelligence (AI) collaboration.
The government has committed to strengthening cooperation in fostering advanced strategic industries such as AI, drones, and aviation engines. The Ministry of National Defense reported on its policy directions, including establishing standards for dual-use drones and building a joint military-civilian testing system.
Additionally, the ministries announced plans for inter-agency collaboration to accelerate the development of AI products and services for defense, as well as the creation of specialized AI foundation models.
The Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy also shared strategies to enhance the ecosystem for civil-military technology cooperation, including expanding investments in dual-use technologies and accelerating the virtuous cycle between advanced technologies and the defense industry.
The Defense Acquisition Program Administration reviewed the status and future plans for advanced aviation engine development through written reports on joint projects involving multiple ministries.
With the goal of becoming a leading defense power, the government is also preparing measures to promote defense exports to enhance the competitiveness of the K-defense sector.
The Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy is working to establish a Defense Export Civil Industry Cooperation Task Force (TF) to systematically support private sector collaboration in defense exports. This initiative aims to identify and develop industrial cooperation items, create comprehensive cooperation packages, and oversee promotion and implementation checks.
The Ministry of National Defense is also discussing ways to support defense exhibitions led by the Korea Defense Industry Association, with plans to draft guidelines for exhibition support by the end of the year. Currently, domestic land weapon defense exhibitions are divided between the Army Association's KADEX and the civilian exhibition DX KOREA.
Furthermore, the Ministry of National Defense reported on the establishment of a "Defense Export Support Strategy" to enhance cooperation in defense diplomacy and logistics support with purchasing countries.
Ahn Gyu-baek, Minister of National Defense, emphasized that the defense industry is a national strategic sector that underpins national security and is directly linked to economic growth. He stated, "We will swiftly advance the tasks discussed at the council to establish a foundation for self-reliant defense and enhance our competitiveness in the global defense market."
Kim Jeong-gwan, Minister of Trade, Industry and Energy, noted, "We will strengthen collaboration between the Ministry's Manufacturing AI Transformation (M.AX) Alliance and the defense sector, while also enhancing the overall capacity of the defense ecosystem, including small and medium-sized shipyards and related companies, to support regional economies through civil-military cooperation."
* This article has been translated by AI.
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