Lee proposes 'Korea-NATO Defense Industry Partnership 2.0' at Ankara forum

President Lee Jae Myung proposed a "Korea-NATO Defense Industry Partnership 2.0" on Tuesday (local time), calling for South Korea and NATO to jointly research, produce and operate weapons systems, as he attended the NATO summit in Turkey.

Lee made the pitch at the NATO Defense Industry Forum in Ankara — an official event on the summit's agenda — as South Korea participated as an invited partner nation. The appearance marked a direct presidential push to expand K-defense exports and advance the country's goal of becoming one of the world's top four arms exporters.

"I hope we can plan and pursue more joint research programs, like the NATO cooperation programs in ammunition and space in which South Korea already participates," Lee said at the forum.

NATO, whose 32 member states include the United States, Germany, the Netherlands, Norway, the United Kingdom, Italy, Canada and France, is considered the world's largest defense market, accounting for about 55 percent of global defense spending.

The NATO Defense Industry Forum draws more than 1,000 senior officials from allied and partner governments, the defense industry and the financial sector. It has been held as an official summit event since last year.

Lee took part as a panelist in the forum's fourth session, themed "Shared Values, Stronger Industrial Base: Expanding Partnerships and Cooperation," delivering a presentation on "Defense Industry Solidarity between South Korea and NATO." Much of his remarks were devoted to highlighting the strengths of South Korea's defense industry and underscoring solidarity with NATO allies.

Lee opened by framing the current global moment in stark terms. "Today we are living in an age of uncertainty, where geopolitical conflict has become a constant, having passed through the period of stability in the international order that followed the Cold War," he said. "The military application of advanced technology has become a decisive factor in determining the outcome of war, and the ability to produce weapons rapidly and reliably — along with maintaining a robust global supply chain — has become the essence of deterrence."

He then stressed that trust was the foundation of any genuine alliance. "Without the conviction that supply will never be cut off under any circumstances, and without the belief that core technology will always be kept safe, true solidarity and cooperation cannot exist," Lee said. "South Korea meets those conditions for trust."

Lee said South Korea's defense industry had grown through cooperation with NATO allies and achieved a high degree of technological compatibility as a result. "Built on that trust, South Korea has been able to maintain close cooperation with many NATO allies across the Atlantic and Eurasia — including Poland, Germany, France, Romania and Norway," he said.

"If South Korea's stable production capacity and proven technological capabilities as a reliable partner are combined with NATO's long-accumulated expertise, the security capabilities of both sides will be significantly strengthened," Lee said. "The more uncertain the times, the bolder our actions must be, and the faster our cooperation must move."

He closed with a pledge of commitment. "South Korea will be the most trustworthy partner," Lee said. "As a partner in security cooperation that together safeguards peace and prosperity for the world, we will press forward vigorously with NATO toward a safer world."