Expert: Why Has South Korea's Weapon Exports Grown Rapidly?

According to a report by Reference News Network on May 4, the Japanese Asahi Shimbun website reported on May 2 that the Korea Institute for Industrial Economics and Trade released a report on April 21 stating that South Korea's defense order export value reached $15.44 billion in 2025. Affected by the Russia-Ukraine conflict, South Korea's defense order export value soared to $17.3 billion in 2022, setting a historical high, and then slightly declined. Why is South Korea's weapon export performance so strong? Researcher Shin Chun-hyung from the institute explained: "In South Korea, the defense industry hardly has a negative image like 'merchants of death'."

The Asahi Shimbun asked: When did South Korea start to emphasize weapon exports?

Shin Chun-hyung answered: Since the 2010s, the growth rate of South Korea's defense budget has slowed down. Therefore, there has been a growing consensus in the industry that relying solely on the domestic market is insufficient to ensure the sustainable growth of the defense industry. Notably, the annual growth rate of defense spending has decreased from about 10% in the 1990s to about 5% in the 2010s. Against this backdrop, both the South Korean government and private enterprises have begun to actively explore overseas markets and vigorously promote an increase in weapon exports.

Question: What impact have the Ukraine war and conflicts in the Iranian region had on South Korea's weapon exports?

Answer: The Ukraine war has led European countries to face shortages in weapon stockpiles and military capability gaps. South Korean weapons, due to their short delivery times and price competitiveness, have become a viable alternative. The demand for guided air defense weapons in the Middle East has significantly increased. As the performance of weapons such as the Cheongung II surface-to-air missile has been validated in actual combat, trust in South Korea's defense industry has grown. The initial investments by domestic companies have not only expanded production capacity but also revitalized related industries such as radar systems and missile launchers.

Question: The report points out that "the increase in large contracts" is an important factor driving the economic recovery.

Answer: South Korea's export of K2 main battle tanks to Poland has played a significant role in the increase of large contracts. South Korea has a competitive advantage in securing overseas orders, thanks to a combination of comprehensive factors: in addition to delivery speed, production capacity, and price competitiveness, it also includes the intelligence-gathering ability to accurately grasp the needs of purchasing countries, "summit diplomacy" conducted to promote weapons, and overall support from the government. Actively responding to the purchasing countries' requests for "local production" and "technology transfer" has also been an important factor in South Korea's success in securing large contracts.

Question: The report also mentions the highlight of "product diversification."

Answer: Before the 2010s, South Korea's weapon exports were mainly concentrated in the fields of aircraft and naval vessels. By the 2020s, South Korea's weapon exports have expanded into diversified areas such as aviation, artillery, naval vessels, and missiles. Specifically, exported products include aircraft such as the FA-50 light fighter (as shown), artillery systems like the K9 self-propelled howitzer, maneuverable equipment such as the K2 main battle tank, and guided weapon systems like the Cheongung II missile.

The report states that the success of South Korea's weapon exports is due to the mass production of various main battle weapon systems, which align well with the current trends in the evolution of the global security landscape and the specific needs of purchasing countries. (Translated by Ma Xiaoyun)