K-Defense, Localization of Parts Plan ... Changwon City to Establish Defense Industry Development Blueprint

A 'Gyeongnam Changwon Defense Industry Company Development Meeting' was held with Heo Seong-mu, Mayor of Changwon (right), and Min Hong-chul, Chairman of the National Defense Committee of the National Assembly, in attendance.

[Asia Economy Yeongnam Reporting Headquarters Reporter Lee Sang-hyun] Changwon City, Gyeongnam, held a 'Meeting for the Development of Defense Industry Companies' on the 27th, hosted by the Korea Industrial Complex Corporation Gyeongnam Headquarters.

The meeting was organized to respond to the expansion of the defense R&D project budget and to promote win-win cooperation with defense companies facing difficulties due to COVID-19.

Min Hong-chul, Chairman of the National Defense Committee of the National Assembly (Democratic Party, Gimhae Gap), and Cho Hyun-gi, Head of the Mobile Business Division of the Defense Acquisition Program Administration, were invited to exchange various opinions with executives of representative defense companies in the Gyeongnam and Changwon regions.

The Defense Acquisition Program Administration requested the discovery and participation of joint projects through collaboration with small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) for the 'Parts Localization Support Project,' which will receive 169.1 billion KRW this year.

Mayor Heo Seong-mu of Changwon proposed expanding the new platform for technological cooperation and network building among defense companies, the 'Changwon-type Large-Medium-Small Win-win Market.' The 'Win-win Market' is a network system for the joint growth of large, medium, and small defense companies through product promotion and mutual technological cooperation between demand sources (system companies, military) and suppliers (SMEs).

Although only two sessions were held in 2021 due to the impact of COVID-19, the Win-win Market is planned to be held regularly once a month by sector, such as mobility, naval vessels, and aviation.

The event will include presentations promoting SME products and technologies, briefings on development difficulties by large companies, and individual consultations among participating companies to facilitate mutual exchange.

Mayor Heo said, "To support local defense companies, we will increase participation in government projects such as those by the Defense Acquisition Program Administration based on networks like the Gyeongnam Changwon Defense Innovation Cluster and the Changwon Defense Industry SME Council."

He added, "Through the '2nd Yi Sun-sin Defense Industry Exhibition' scheduled for November, we will promote the excellence of K-defense worldwide and establish it as a future-oriented defense export business model."

"We will discover and introduce strong local defense SMEs that have technological capabilities but face high entry barriers or difficulties in promoting their products and technologies, serving as a bridge between system companies and SMEs," he said.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.