President Yoon Urges Defense Industry, Government, and Military to Maintain Cooperation System... "Will Establish a Pan-Government Defense Export Support System"
[Asia Economy Reporter Ki-min Lee] On the 24th, President Yoon Suk-yeol emphasized the cooperation between the defense industry, government, and military, stating, "We must shift the structure of the defense industry from being domestically focused to export-oriented and establish an ecosystem that can grow independently."
President Yoon held the first Defense Export Strategy Meeting at Korea Aerospace Industries (KAI) in Sacheon, Gyeongnam, in the morning, ordering, "The defense industry is a future new growth engine and a core driver of advanced industries."
The meeting was organized to commend the record-high defense export achievements this year and encourage related personnel, to express the government's determination to foster the defense industry as an advanced sector that strongly drives national security and the economy, and to listen to the difficulties faced by companies aiming to become one of the world's top four defense export powers, as well as to establish an organic cooperation system between the government and companies.
About 80 people attended the meeting, including Minister of Trade, Industry and Energy Lee Chang-yang, Deputy Minister of National Defense Shin Beom-cheol, Defense Acquisition Program Administration Chief Eom Dong-hwan, Governor of Gyeongnam Park Wan-su, government and local government officials, key military figures such as the chiefs of staff of each branch, and representatives from defense companies including KAI, Hanwha Aerospace, and Hyundai Rotem.
In his opening remarks, President Yoon said, "Our defense industry is essentially a journey of creating something out of nothing. From having no weapons made by our own hands, we have grown into a defense powerhouse that builds next-generation Aegis destroyers and develops cutting-edge fighter jets." He added, "I highly appreciate the record-breaking defense export achievements reached this year, and many countries around the world, including Poland, Australia, and Norway, are seeking defense cooperation with us," expressing gratitude to those involved in the defense industry.
Regarding the activation of defense exports, he said, "We must secure technological competitiveness capable of developing game-changing weapon systems for future warfare and improve the research and investment environment for defense companies," urging, "Please maintain a close cooperative system with the government and military."
The government plans to secure export competitiveness in the defense industry through various corporate supports and strengthen customized export support projects. President Yoon stated, "The government will actively support defense exports while maintaining a thorough military readiness posture," and added, "To this end, a pan-government defense export support system will be established to expand defense exports into industrial cooperation fields such as nuclear power and construction."
He also instructed the military, "Enhance the trust of allied countries in Korean defense, and actively promote package support including education and training, transfer of operational know-how, and follow-up logistics support to export target countries."
Furthermore, President Yoon mentioned, "The entire system encompassing this is the defense industry and will contribute to peace in the international community."
Before the meeting, President Yoon observed the test flight of the KF-21, a cutting-edge 4.5-generation supersonic fighter jet, at KAI and encouraged the test flight pilots. He also received reports on the status of fixed-wing aircraft developed with domestic technology such as the KC-100, KT-1, FA-50, and rotary-wing aircraft including the Surion and Light Armed Helicopter (LAH).
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