South Korea’s Defense Ambitions Can Be Met By Tech
Seoul has bold plans to become a top-four global weapons supplier, a tall order that will require it to lean on its technology strength.
Rising tensions.
Photographer: Ahn Young-Joon/AFP/Getty Images
South Korea, better known for making tiny electronic devices than lethal weapons, has set its sights on taking fourth spot in the global defense market. That target is in reach, but it’ll need to lean even more heavily on its tech prowess.
When Ukraine’s stock of munitions last year started to fall low as Russia’s invasion ground on, it turned to allies for more. That meant Western partners including the US. Yet not even the world’s largest military power has an infinite supply. Enter South Korea, which started shipping thousands of artillery shells to replenish US stockpiles — rather than directly to Ukraine — to avoid the appearance of taking sides.