Yoon: "Establishing a Sustainable Defense Industry Ecosystem... Enhancing Global Competitiveness" (Update)

President Yoon Attends ADEX 2023
Also Explains Plans to Strengthen Aerospace and Artificial Intelligence (AI) Technologies

President Yoon Suk-yeol stated on the 17th, "We will establish an ecosystem that allows our defense industry to continuously grow and enhance its global competitiveness."

At the opening ceremony of the '2023 Seoul International Aerospace and Defense Industry Exhibition (ADEX 2023)' held at Seoul Airport in Seongnam, Gyeonggi Province, President Yoon said, "Defense cooperation is expanding beyond mere arms exports to include equipment and parts supply, education and training, and research and development."

President Yoon praised the military and defense industry officials, saying, "Our defense industry is creating something out of nothing and writing a new history. A country that once relied on aid and imports has now advanced to the level of independently producing and exporting cutting-edge fighter jets."

He mentioned domestic weapons one by one, including the supersonic fighter KF-21, the first export fighter FA-50 light attack aircraft, Korean air defense systems M-SAM and L-SAM, K-9 self-propelled howitzer, K-2 tank, Korean utility helicopter Surion, LAH light armed helicopter, Redback armored vehicle, and Chunmoo multiple launch rocket system, emphasizing, "These are the fruits of your passion and challenges."

President Yoon Suk-yeol delivers a congratulatory speech at the opening ceremony of ADEX 2023 held at Seoul Airport in Seongnam, Gyeonggi Province on the 17th.
[Image source=Yonhap News]

President Yoon introduced that the Yoon Suk-yeol administration has designated the defense industry as a national strategic industry and is supporting it. He said, "The government has presented the 'advanced strategic industrialization' of the defense industry as a national agenda and has been striving to establish a growth foundation for the defense industry. In the first half of this year, a dedicated organization for defense export was newly established within the Presidential National Security Office, and a government-wide defense export cooperation system was built, including the 'Defense Export Strategy Evaluation Meeting' led by the National Security Office. I myself have included defense in security cooperation agendas when meeting foreign leaders to focus on exports."

He also explained the government's plan to strengthen aerospace and artificial intelligence (AI) technologies, which are considered essential for future battlefields. President Yoon said, "Our government aims to become one of the world's top five space technology powers and is actively supporting the aerospace industry that will lead the new space era. In the future, the newly established Aerospace Administration will lead close cooperation between the public and private sectors to drive the aerospace industry's leap forward."

Furthermore, he emphasized, "We will accelerate the AI digital foundation for military operations and spare no policy support for the development of future air mobility technologies. Going forward, the government will do its utmost to strengthen the international competitiveness of our defense and aerospace industries."

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