Source: Government of the Republic of Korea
Your Excellency, Secretary General Mark Rutte, distinguished heads of state and government, defense ministers and other honored guests,
It is a great privilege to join you here at the NATO Summit Defense Industry Forum to discuss the future direction of our security and industrial cooperation.
Today, I would like to share a vision for defense industry cooperation that the Republic of Korea and NATO – partners united by the shared values of democracy, freedom and peace – will build together for a safer world.
Having moved beyond the period of stability in the international order that prevailed after the Cold War, we are now living in an era of uncertainty marked by persistent geopolitical conflict.
The military application of advanced technologies such as artificial intelligence, drones and robotics has become a decisive factor in determining the outcome of modern warfare.
At the same time, deterrence now hinges not only on the ability to produce weapons rapidly and reliably, but also on the resilience of global supply chains.
Wars are no longer decided solely on battlefields. The front lines of national security are now the laboratories where advanced technologies are developed and the industrial sites where weapons are produced.
In this new era, a nation’s survival rests on the foundations of its defense industry. That is why we must discuss cooperation today.
To achieve genuine cooperation, it requires something just as essential as technology and production capacity. That is trust.
True solidarity and cooperation are impossible without the guarantee that supplies will be provided in all circumstances and the assurance that key technologies will be safeguarded without fail.
The Republic of Korea has everything needed to earn such trust.
NATO members and the Republic of Korea share memories of devastating warfare. As partners, we defended the values of democracy, freedom and peace together in a grave security environment.
Building on this foundation of trust, in cooperation with NATO allies, Korea’s defense industry has grown and achieved a high degree of technological interoperability.
As a result, the Republic of Korea has continued working closely with many NATO allies in the Atlantic and Eurasia, including Poland, Germany, France, Romania and Norway.
The security capabilities of both sides will be greatly strengthened when NATO’s decades of know-how are combined with the reliable production capacity and proven technological prowess of the Republic of Korea – a trusted partner.
In an era of growing uncertainty, we must take bolder actions and cooperate more rapidly.
With this in mind, I would like to make several proposals on cooperation between the Republic of Korea and NATO to help build a safer world.
First, we must boldly expand our joint research on cutting-edge technologies. The surest way to align our technological standards and realize a common vision for innovation is by collaborating on research and development.
I hope that we will be able to plan and advance more joint research initiatives like NATO’s ammunition and space cooperation programs, in which Korea is taking part.
Moreover, I propose that we elevate our current defense cooperation, focused mainly on weapons system transactions, to a “Korea–NATO Defense Industry Partnership 2.0,” which will involve jointly researching, producing and operating those systems.
Just as the member countries of the International Energy Agency jointly manage their strategic petroleum reserves to respond collectively to energy crises, I hope we can apply the same spirit to the defense industry and work together to develop similar cooperative mechanisms.
Safeguarding democracy, freedom and peace is the task of all nations.
In this rapidly shifting security environment, I believe that the world will become truly safer only when nations committed to their own defense stand together more firmly.
The Republic of Korea will remain your most trusted partner.
As a security cooperation partner dedicated to safeguarding global peace and prosperity, we will advance vigorously with NATO toward the goal of a safer world.
Thank you for your kind attention.