[Yang Nakgyu's Defence Club] 75 Years Since the Korean War... K-Defense Rises from Humble Beginnings to Export Powerhouse

Development of Domestic Weapon Systems Since the 1970s
Development of Naval Weapons Following Ground Weapons
Domestic Companies Seize the Global Defense Market
Lee Jaemyung Administration Pledges to Become a Top 4 Defense Power

Seventy-five years have passed since the outbreak of the 6·25 War. South Korea's defense industry has grown from humble beginnings to become a powerhouse, now ranking among the top 10 in the world. K-Defense is highly regarded in the global market, especially because it offers weapon systems that have been verified through field deployment. Paradoxically, the environment of maintaining a constant state of combat readiness due to the armistice has served as a significant advantage for the defense sector.

The Republic of Korea Armed Forces, established alongside the founding of the government in 1948, had to enter combat without proper weaponry or time to build up its capabilities. At the time of its founding, Korea's arsenal and equipment consisted almost entirely of outdated U.S. military gear from World War II and rifles left behind by the Japanese army.

Development of Domestic Weapon Systems Since the 1970s

In 1970, the government established the Agency for Defense Development (ADD), and in 1971, began licensed production of the M16 rifle, the first domestically produced weapon. Today, SNT Motiv leads as the largest domestic manufacturer of small-caliber firearms, having acquired the old arsenal. The company emphasizes "customized firearms" tailored to the needs of each country. Over the years, it has introduced a full line-up of small-caliber firearms, including the K13 submachine gun for special operations, K4 automatic grenade launcher, K15 machine gun, K16 machine gun series, STP9 pistol, and low-risk pistols.

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In the mid-1970s, South Korea was not even able to design ammunition. The country began with licensed production of U.S.-designed weapons and ammunition. Poongsan is responsible for the production of ammunition and shells. Recently, Poongsan succeeded in developing a 155mm extended-range shell, increasing the range by 50% from 40km to 60km compared to existing 155mm artillery shells.

Ground weaponry has also seen remarkable advancements. In the 1990s, the Korean military began adopting advanced weapon systems, developing the K1 tank and others. Since then, the K2 tank and K9 self-propelled howitzer have dominated the global defense market. Weapon systems such as unmanned aerial vehicles, artillery, and infantry fighting vehicles, which began development in the 2000s, are also attracting international attention.

Development of Naval Weapons Following Ground Weapons

Naval power has also been strengthened. In 1979, South Korea achieved the independent development and commissioning of the Chamsuri-class fast attack craft. The country began to possess not only surface ships but also submarines. The Navy first operated small submarines (or submersibles) in 1984. The 200-ton class small submarine development project was approved in November 1976. Named "Dolgorae," this submarine was launched on April 5, 1983, successfully built with domestic technology, and delivered to the Navy on December 29, 1984, where it began operations. After a year of operational evaluation, including anti-submarine training, it quietly served in the defense of national waters for nearly 20 years before being honorably retired on December 31, 2003.

K-Defense contributes not only to strengthening domestic military power but also to exports. K-Defense is recognized for its competitive performance, high cost-effectiveness compared to advanced countries, and rapid procurement timelines. As geopolitical instability rises, the presence of K-Defense in the global defense market is growing even stronger. The order backlog of the so-called "Big 4" K-Defense companies is estimated to be close to 100 trillion won.

Domestic Companies Seize the Global Defense Market

Hanwha Aerospace, which exports the K-9 self-propelled howitzer, Chunmoo multiple rocket launcher, K-10 ammunition resupply vehicle, Redback infantry fighting vehicle, and K-11 fire command vehicle, ranked 48th among the world's top 100 defense companies as assessed by SIPRI. In particular, the K-9 self-propelled howitzer has become a global bestseller, operated by 10 countries including Turkey, the Philippines, India, Finland, Australia, and Poland, since its first export to Turkey in 2001. The defense industry estimates that the K-9 holds a 60% share of the global self-propelled howitzer market. Last year, Hanwha Aerospace achieved record results with sales of 11.2462 trillion won and operating profit of 1.7247 trillion won, becoming the first domestic defense company to surpass 10 trillion won in sales and 1 trillion won in operating profit.

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Hyundai Rotem, also listed among SIPRI's top 100 companies, focuses on the K-2 tank and competes in the global tank market alongside Germany's Leopard 2 and the U.S. Abrams tanks. In 2022, the company surprised the world by signing a contract to export 1,000 K-2 tanks to Poland.

In the fighter jet sector, South Korea succeeded in the test flight of the KF-21 (Boramae), its first domestically produced supersonic fighter, in 2022, joining the ranks of countries capable of independently developing fighter jets after 20 years of effort. Korea Aerospace Industries (KAI), which began with the export of the KT-1 basic trainer to Indonesia 20 years ago, has since exported the FA-50 light attack aircraft and is now seeking to expand the KF-21 into the Middle East, South America, and Europe. LIG Nex1, a company specializing in guided weapons, is also rapidly growing by exporting the Cheongung II medium-range surface-to-air missile system to the United Arab Emirates (UAE), Saudi Arabia, and Iraq.

Lee Jaemyung Administration Pledges to Become a Top 4 Defense Power

The government has also moved to systematically support K-Defense by establishing the "Advanced Civil-Military Cooperation Support Division" within the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy last year, expanding the export support functions that were previously concentrated in the Defense Acquisition Program Administration. President Lee Jaemyung, as a presidential candidate, pledged to make South Korea one of the "top four global defense powers," signaling his intention to foster defense as a new growth engine. Recently, President Lee attended the G7 summit, where he met with Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney to discuss defense cooperation, including Canada's submarine procurement project, engaging in active sales diplomacy.

The United States, which possesses the world's most powerful military, is also accelerating cooperation with South Korea in naval vessel construction and maintenance, repair, and overhaul (MRO) projects under the second Trump administration.

According to this year's report by the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI), South Korea ranked 10th in the global arms export market from 2020 to 2024, with a 2.2% market share. The United States maintained a commanding lead at 43%, followed by France (9.6%) and Russia (7.8%) in the top three. They were followed by China (5.9%), Germany (5.6%), Italy (4.8%), the United Kingdom (3.6%), Israel (3.1%), and Spain (3.0%). The gap in market share between 10th-ranked South Korea (2.2%) and those ranked 4th to 8th is not significant. As a result, expectations are rising that if South Korea continues to focus on developing its defense sector, it could join the ranks of the world's top four defense powers.