South Korean President Lee pledges bold Defence, aerospace R&D investment by 2030

Seoul, Oct 20 South Korean President Lee Jae Myung said on Monday that the government will make bold investments in research and development (R&D) in the Defence and aerospace industries by 2030 to support efforts to secure key technologies and develop advanced weapon systems.

Lee reaffirmed the government's vision to make South Korea one of the world's top four Defence powers during his opening address at the opening ceremony of the Seoul International Aerospace and Defence Exhibition (ADEX) 2025, Yonhap News Agency reported.

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In a discussion session with Defence industry officials, Lee reaffirmed the government's plan to sharply expand R&D spending as part of broader efforts to advance the arms industry and build a self-reliant military.

"It is difficult to understand that there are still people who believe we cannot achieve self-reliant defence under the current circumstances and must depend on others for national defence," Lee said, stressing the importance of ensuring that the military is capable of taking full responsibility for national defence with some reinforcement.

To enhance export competitiveness, Lee said it is crucial to deploy domestically developed weapons systems within the armed forces to demonstrate their reliability and performance.

He also called for nurturing the Defence industry as a key engine of economic growth by increasing the localisation of parts and diversifying export markets, expressing hope that innovation in the Defence sector will spill over into other high-tech industries.

As part of broader efforts to boost Defence exports, Lee's chief of staff, Kang Hoon-sik, departed for Europe on Sunday to strengthen Defence industry partnerships and expand South Korea's arms exports.

Kang will deliver Lee's letters to several European countries with which Seoul seeks deeper Defence cooperation, the presidential office said, noting that major decisions on large-scale weapons acquisition programs are imminent in the region.

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