S. Korea to launch advisory committee for arms exports
South Korea is preparing to launch an advisory committee under the state arms procurement agency, consisting mostly of non-governmental experts, to boost its defense technology exports, sources close to the matter said Wednesday.
The Defense Acquisition Program Administration recently came up with the plan and is "preparing to launch the committee,' a DAPA official told The Korea Herald via phone. 'The review and nomination of candidates will kick off in September.'
The committee will consist of 15 members who are considered experts in arms exports. Each member will serve for two years and may be nominated for an additional two-year term.
The committee members will be tasked with drafting strategies for the country's arms exports by cooperating with various teams within DAPA currently handling outbound shipments to continents including Europe, Africa, the Middle East, North America and more.
The latest plan follows President Lee Jae Myung's campaign pledge to buoy the defense industry, making it one of the country's top four future sectors alongside semiconductor, secondary batteries and automobile. As part of his pledge, Lee said he plans to regularly preside over defense export promotion and strategy meetings, which usually involve Army officials from the Office of National Security. South Korea would become one of the world's top four arms exporters, Lee said.
South Korea's arms exports fell to $9.5 billion last year after hitting a record high of $17.3 billion in 2022 and sliding to $13.5 billion in 2023.
Separate government sources said last week that South Korea is likely to sign a deal worth some $6 billion to export additional K2 tanks to Poland later this month.
If materialized, it would be Seoul's biggest single arms export contract to date.
Under the deal set to be signed in late June, Poland would receive 180 K2 tanks, of which 117 units will be produced by South Korean defense contractor Hyundai Rotem Co. The rest will be manufactured locally by Warsaw's state-owned PGZ.
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