Lee vows ‘bold investments’ to elevate Korea to top-tier defense power

President Lee Jae Myung delivers a congratulatory address at the opening ceremony of the Seoul International Aerospace & Defense Exhibition at KINTEX in Goyang, Gyeonggi Province, Monday. Joint Press Corps

President Lee Jae Myung reaffirmed his administration’s commitment to advancing the nation's defense industry, declaring that becoming one of the world’s top four defense powers is “by no means an impossible dream.”

Speaking at the opening ceremony of the Seoul International Aerospace & Defense Exhibition (ADEX) 2025 on Monday, Lee pledged massive investment in defense and aerospace research and development through 2030.

Korea is making an aggressive push to establish itself as a global defense powerhouse, driven by soaring export deals and expanding domestic production capacity. This ambition is backed by substantial growth, including being ranked as one of the top five global military powers overall and having an estimated $17.3 billion in arms sales in 2022 and securing more than $4 billion in arms exports in 2023 alone.

This year’s ADEX brings together more than 500 domestic and international defense and aerospace industry leaders and foreign delegations to KINTEX in Goyang, Gyeonggi Province.

“By 2030, we will allocate a massive level of funding that far surpasses expectations to national defense R&D and aerospace R&D,” the president said.

“Through this, we will secure core technologies and weapons systems essential for the future of national defense, while building capabilities for independent space development. In particular, we will focus investments on developing key technologies, components and materials, such as defense-specific semiconductors, to ensure full sovereignty in defense technology.”

Republic of Korea Air Force’s special flight team, the Black Eagles, performs a show celebrating the Seoul International Aerospace & Defense Exhibition at Seoul Air Base in Seongnam, Gyeonggi Province, Sunday. Yonhap

Lee also announced plans to dramatically improve policies and systems to enable rapid adoption of innovative defense technologies in the field. He emphasized the introduction of a fast-track system in the defense industry to accelerate the deployment of new technologies within the armed forces.

He further vowed to lower entry barriers for small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) and startups with advanced technologies, encouraging their active participation in the defense and aerospace sectors.

Lee reiterated that one of his administration’s key goals is to make Korea one of the world’s top four defense powers.

“Korea’s transformation from a country that once relied on surplus foreign weapons to one of the world’s top five defense exporters, achieving over $10 billion in defense exports, has been made possible by the efforts of successive administrations to foster our defense and aerospace industries,” he noted.

“Building on that solid foundation, our government will push forward with bold investments and support to elevate Korea into one of the world’s top four defense and aerospace powers.”

Advanced weapons such as the KAV amphibious assault vehicle and the Bigung guided rocket are on display for the opening ceremony of the Seoul International Aerospace & Defense Exhibition at KINTEX in Goyang, Gyeonggi Province, Monday. Yonhap

In addition, acknowledging the limitations of relying solely on domestic demand and the need for large-scale capital and technological strength, the president stressed the importance of expanding global partnerships in the defense sector.

“To secure the global competitiveness of 'K-defense,' we must move beyond merely exporting superior products and present a new brand value as a trusted security partner,” he said.

“Korea will not only provide the world’s best weapon systems but also share its industrial expertise and technological know-how with partner nations, becoming a reliable ally built on trust and cooperation.”

President Lee Jae Myung speaks during a defense industry forum at KINTEX in Goyang, Gyeonggi Province, Monday. Joint Press Corps

During a discussion forum on the development of the defense industry after the ADEX ceremony, Lee once again underscored the importance of self-reliant national defense and highlighted the government’s determination to significantly expand the defense budget.

“Some people still say South Korea cannot have self-reliant defense capacity and thus must rely on other countries. I don't understand them,” Lee said during the forum. “That [self-reliant defense] will require many measures, but the key will be the development of the defense industry ... For that goal, I intend to dramatically and substantially increase defense spending. There are differing opinions, but I believe expanding the defense budget should serve as a catalyst for our industrial and economic development.”

Lee did not reveal specifically the level of increase. This year’s defense budget was 61.2 trillion won ($43 billion), while 66.3 trillion won is earmarked for next year.

He emphasized that advancing the defense industry means more than simply producing high-quality weapons.

“We must maximize localization, expand and diversify markets and transform the defense sector into a cornerstone of national industry, one that reaches out to the global market," Lee said.