Bahk Eun-ji has been with The Korea Times since 2012, building a career across multiple desks. She began at the Business Desk, where she conducted in-depth interviews with key figures in Korea's corporate world. Later, she moved to the Politics & City Desk, focusing on education policy and social affairs. She later served as team leader of the digital content team, leading curation efforts on the newspaper’s homepage and reshaping print stories for social media audiences to enhance digital reach. Now back on the Politics Desk, she covers the National Assembly and the Ministry of National Defense, with a renewed focus on political developments.
Korea opens faster access to NATO standards for defense exporters
Defense Acquisition Program Administration (DAPA) Commissioner Lee Yong-cheol, secon from right, meets with NATO Assistant Secretary General for Defence Investment Tarja Jaakkola, second from left, ahead of the second Korea-NATO Defense Industry Consultation at Government Complex Gwacheon, May 11. Courtesy of DAPA
By Bahk Eun-ji
Korea’s arms procurement agency has established its first formal procedure for domestic defense companies to obtain NATO standards, a move aimed at helping them compete for contracts and joint development projects in NATO markets.
Until now, exporters had no formal domestic channel for obtaining many of the standards and often had to seek help from local companies or government agencies in countries where they were pursuing business.
Under the new system, standards that the Korean government can access directly through NATO’s online database could be provided in as little as a week.
The Defense Acquisition Program Administration (DAPA) said Monday it has enacted guidelines governing how NATO standards are requested, provided and handled.
NATO standards set common requirements designed to ensure interoperability among allied weapons systems, ammunition and other military supplies. They cover areas ranging from protection requirements and testing procedures to communications protocols, logistics and security rules.
Korean companies may be asked to show that their products meet relevant NATO standards when bidding for weapons programs in member countries or joining research and development with foreign governments or defense firms.
Demand for access has grown as Korean defense exports to Europe have expanded since Russia’s invasion of Ukraine and European countries have stepped up rearmament, according to DAPA.
Previously, NATO standards needed for Korean government programs can be obtained through government-to-government channels, a DAPA official said.
The new guidelines set separate procedures depending on whether a standard is publicly available, restricted or classified. Restricted standards that Korean government agencies can retrieve from NATO’s database will be obtained by DAPA and passed on top applicants.
“In the fastest cases, we can provide them within a week,” the official said.
Standards requiring NATO approval, including classified material, will still have to go through NATO’s application and approval process. DAPA said it is working with NATO through bilateral defense industry consultations and Korea’s military representations to NATO to streamline the process.
Korea and NATO signed a special security arrangement in February covering the exchange of classified information, including NATO standards.
DAPA expects easier access to help Korean firms move beyond exports of complete weapons systems toward local production, joint development and parts supply.
The agency said NATO standards are also increasingly referenced in procurement requirement outside NATO, potentially helping Korean firms diversify their export markets and products.
DAPA commissioner Lee Yong-cheol said the guidelines would “contribute in practical terms” to expanding Korean companies’ defense exports to NATO members and participation in international joint development projects.