South Korea’s defence technology export boom explained
South Korea’s defence technology export boom explained
https://asiapacificdefencereporter.com/south-koreas-defence-technology-export-boom-explained/
Publish Date: 2026-02-01 16:10:00
Source Domain: asiapacificdefencereporter.com
While many of us have been aware of the existence of South Korea’s defence industry for some time, it’s only in the last decade – and more particularly in the last four years following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine – that the world is waking up to the huge industrial capacity of the country. Formerly obscure names such as KAI, Hyundai, Hanwha and LIG Nex are now almost instantly recognisable as producers of high-quality military equipment.
Eugene Kim
Understanding how this success has come about so rapidly and at such scale is not always easy for people outside the Republic of Korea – but fortunately we have an expert guide in the form of Mr Eugene Kim, who is the Chairman of Huneed Technologies and the now twice-elected President of the country’s peak military industrial body, the Korean Defense Industry Association (KIDA).
Established in 1976, KIDA represents more than 750 ROK companies and supports its members in enhancing industrial competitiveness and international cooperation efforts through working closely with the ROK Government.
Huneed Technologies is – by the standards of the ROK – a medium sized, hi tech, export-oriented company with 27,000 employees, developing and supporting both military and commercial products. An export success story, it specialises in military communications and is a leader in implementing Industry 4.0 protocols through the use of additive manufacturing, particularly in the aerospace domain where it works closely with industry giants such as Boeing and Airbus.
Mr Kim was kind enough to share his knowledge with readers of APDR.
FA-50 trainers/light attack aircraft (KAI photo)
Kym Bergmann: Many countries have noticed how quickly the ROK can build military platforms. How is this being achieved?
Eugene Kim: The speed of South Korean production is not a miracle; it is the structural result of maintaining a “hot” industrial base. Unlike many Western nations that allowed their defense industrial…
