President Lee: "Relying on External Defense Is a Matter of National Pride... Will Accelerate Self-Reliant Defense"

President Lee Delivers Budget Policy Speech at National Assembly on the 4th
Lee: "We Will Continue Efforts to Ease Tensions Along the Demilitarized Zone"

President Lee Jae-myung is entering the National Assembly on the morning of the 4th to deliver the policy speech on the 2026 budget proposal.

President Lee Jae-myung pointed out on the 4th, "Relying on external sources for national defense is a matter of national pride."

During his policy speech on the 2026 budget proposal at the National Assembly that day, President Lee stated, "The Republic of Korea spends 1.4 times North Korea's annual gross domestic product (GDP) on defense and is recognized as having the world's fifth-largest military power." Next year's defense budget is set at 66.3 trillion won, an 8.2% increase from this year.

President Lee emphasized, "We will reorganize conventional weapons systems into state-of-the-art systems suitable for the era of artificial intelligence (AI), rapidly transform our military into an elite smart force, dramatically strengthen our defense capabilities, and accelerate the realization of self-reliant national defense."

However, President Lee also explained, "Fundamentally, I will do my utmost to establish lasting peace on the Korean Peninsula," adding, "If peace is shaken, democracy, the economy, and the safety of our people will inevitably be threatened."

He continued, "We will make bold and broad-minded efforts to restore trust and establish a foundation for dialogue and cooperation between the two Koreas," and added, "We will continue efforts to ease military tensions along the demilitarized zone, and usher in a new era of peaceful coexistence and joint prosperity on the Korean Peninsula through the 'END Initiative,' which focuses on Exchange and Cooperation (E), Normalization of Relations (N), and Denuclearization (D)."

Meanwhile, President Lee commented on AI technology, saying, "It is also transforming the landscape of the defense industry." He added, "By discovering startups with advanced technology and investing in research and development (R&D), we will foster the defense industry as a leading manufacturing sector in the AI era and lay the groundwork for Korea to become one of the world's four major defense powers."