South Korea Proposes Defence Tech Alliance with NATO

The proposal, dubbed the 'South Korea-NATO defence industry partnership 2.0,' seeks to combine Seoul’s manufacturing scale with the operational experience of alliance members. Lee argued that current collaboration models are insufficient for modern threats, suggesting that a shift toward co-production and shared research would create more resilient supply chains for both parties.

Lee highlighted his nation’s track record in rapid, large-scale systems manufacturing as a key asset for the alliance. By formalizing these ties, Seoul hopes to secure a permanent role in the technological development cycles of Western military hardware. The President described his country as a dependable partner ready to bridge the gap between regional manufacturing power and global security requirements.